Saving Grace
by doornumberthree
Summary: The Gilmore family is involved in a tragedy that leaves Rory and Lorelai feeling very much overwhelmed and alone, and facing tough decisions that will affect all of their lives. Someone from the past will be Rory's voice of reason and saving grace.
1. Chapter 1

**Saving Grace**

Rory Gilmore groaned and burrowed deeper beneath her scratchy floral bedspread, desperately trying to block out the sound of her cell phone vibrating on the nightstand. The vibrating continued, however, and Rory's roommate muttered from the other twin bed "God damn Gilmore, get the frickin' phone! It's four in the morning!"

Rory mentally aimed a deadly glare at her room mate, then reached over and snatched her still-vibrating phone off the laminated wooden night table.

"What?" she answered, her voice scratchy from sleep. The annoyance that Rory felt was replaced by curiosity as she replied to the operator on the other end of the line. "Yes, I'll accept a call." _Who would call collect? Doesn't everyone have a cell phone by now?_ Rory wondered.

There was a click on the line as the operator connected Rory to the other speaker. There was a brief moment of fuzz on the line, and Rory was about to hang up in frustration when a small, crackly voice came on the line. "Rory?"

"Luke?" Rory asked blankly. "Not that I'm not glad to hear from you, but you do realize it's four a.m here, right?"

"Yeah, sorry about that-"

"Luke, can I please call you back in an hour or so? My roommate is ready to shoot me, and rightly so, I mean, it is four a.m. We didn't get in until late last night, we ended up having to stay behind at the convention center late last night, because the press bus broke down, and-"

"Rory! Please, be quiet for two seconds! Jeez, you're just like your mother," Luke grumbled. "Listen, Rory, there's been an accident,"

At these words, Rory's heart seemed to stop. Terror filled her veins, turning them to ice, and Rory saw her face contorting into an expression of panic in the mirror that was across from the bed.

"Mom? Oh my god, it's Mom! Is she okay? Oh my god," Rory babbled, tears beginning to spill from her eyes.

"No! No, it wasn't your mom. She's fine. Your grandparents got into a car accident, and were just brought to the hospital. Your mom is inside harassing the nurses, and I offered to call everyone and let them know what's going on."

Rory breathed a sigh of relief for her mom, but then guilt consumed her as she processed Luke's words. "Grandma and Grandpa? What happened? Are they okay?"

"Listen, kiddo. I don't want you to worry too much, but it isn't looking too good. They were on the highway coming back from a friend's party and some drunk coming home from another Labor Day party ran a stop sign and hit them. They were pushed into oncoming traffic, and they were.. uh, well, they were hit by a couple other cars that couldn't slow down in time. There was um, there was a tractor trailer and a minivan, I think." Luke replied, the caution in his voice telling Rory that there was more to the story.

At this point, the tears were spilling down Rory's face. She let out a gasping sob, then took a deep breath and controlled herself, knowing that Luke would most likely be embarrassed by her emotions. Then again, maybe not.

Sure enough, Luke didn't seem surprised, just a bit uncomfortable.

"Listen, Rory. Your mom, she uh, she wants-" Luke's voice cut off suddenly, and Rory could hear him speaking to someone else on the other end. The murmurs continued for a minute and Rory impatiently called his name.

"Sorry, Ror. That was the doctor. Your mom went to get coffee, so I had to talk to him. What was I saying? Oh yeah. Your mom doesn't want to worry you, but we think it would be a good idea to come home. Your grandparents aren't doing too well, and uh, just in case, you know?" he finished uncomfortably.

"Oh my god. Luke.. oh my god. Of course I'm coming home, I'm leaving the hotel right now," Rory responded, her mind automatically kicking into gear as she shoved her legs out of bed and began to gather her various belonging from around the hotel room, shoving them into her duffel bag.

"Do you need a ride from the airport or anything when you get here?" Luke asked.

"No, no. I'll get a cab. Please, just stay with Mom and Grandma and Grandpa.. Luke, thank you being there. And I just... just take of Mom, okay?"

Luke cleared his throat, and answered with a suspiciously gruff voice. "Of course. I'll see you soon. Oh, we're at St. Francis Hospital. Third floor."

"Okay. I'll be there soon. Give Mom a hug for me." And with that, Rory bade her grumpy room mate goodbye, and hurried down the dimly lit hotel hallway dragging her suitcase behind her.

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Well, this is my first ever Gilmore Girls story, and my first ever story that isn't a one-shot. I've already written some more chapters, so I should be uploading them within the next couple days (if you guys are interested). I'm not really sure what inspired this, but I wrote so much today, I felt like if I didn't get it all out, then I would just lose all of the ideas! 

Please let me know what you all think. I'm very nervous, never having a real story before. Hopefully it's up to the standards set by the Gilmore Girls section. Please review!


	2. Chapter 2

Saving Grace

Chapter 2

Hi again, everyone! Thanks so much for your reviews, I was so excited to see my inbox filled with messages. Thanks to Kit Kati, InaMaeusle, reader, geronimo1013, Amy, fightingillini, and mrmp.

There were a few questions, so hopefully this chapter will clear everything up. Here's the basics: This is post-finale, so everything that happened on the show still happened in this story. Luke and Lorelai are back together, Rory is 21 and broken up with Logan, and still went on the campaign with Barack Obama. I did some research, and he will actually be in Des Moines, Iowa, within the next day or so, which means that the story is happening currently. I hope this cleared up any confusion.

Just a note. The pace of this story will be slow. The Gilmores are going to go through a difficult time, and it will be hard for them to move on with their lives quickly. The chapters will be short, because I think it makes the quality better. I would rather write a good, short scene rather than a long, boring and repetitive one.

* * *

Rory called a taxi service, and soon a taxi pulled up to the Des Moines hotel where all of the journalists for the Barack Obama campaign tour were staying. Most of the journalists had been paired up with one or more room mates, depending on the expenditure that there were given by their boss. Rory, having a less than generous boss, had been forced to pair up with virtual strangers for the past few months. Her room mate for the past few nights had been a snobby middle aged woman, whom Rory suspected was jealous because there were younger reporters doing what had taken her quite a few years to complete.

During the taxi ride to the airport, Rory had somehow managed to get her wits together and make some phone calls. She asked Lane to look in on Paul Anka and make sure that he was comfortable, assuming that Luke and Lorelai hadn't had time to make arrangements for the finicky dog.

She called the airport and begged to be placed on the next plane going to the East Coast. Rory was told that if she could get to the airport within half an hour, the airline could get her on a flight that would take her to Maryland, where she could then get a connecting flight to Bradley International in Hartford. Rory knew that the only reason she had gotten the flight was because she spilled the entire story to the lady on the phone, who had taken pity on Rory and pulled some strings.

Honestly, Rory didn't care how she got to Hartford, she was just terrified for her grandparents. What had Luke meant? He had said that things weren't 'looking good'. What did 'looking good' mean? Were they just a little banged up? Were they in surgery? Were they dying?

Rory couldn't even comprehend the thought. Luckily, the cab reached the airport just a moment later, allowing Rory to focus on paying the driver and getting to the gate quickly.

She rushed inside, and was enormously relieved that the baggage line was short. She checked in her items and then made her way to the gate. Rory stopped to buy an extra large coffee and a chocolate muffin from a coffee cart and then went to collect her ticket from the counter.

Rory drank her coffee and then took a bite of her muffin, but found that even coffee and one of her favorite foods in the world couldn't erase the taste of terror from her mouth.

* * *

As always, thanks for reading and please review. I love constructive criticism, so don't be afraid to dish it out! Please let me know any ideas that you might have, and I will try to incorporate them somehow. 


	3. Chapter 3

Ch. 3

Rory stepped out of the cool airport and out into the sticky, hot and humid Hartford air. _People who think that Connecticut is always cool because of its Northern location are sorely mistaken_, Rory thought grumpily. Rory couldn't really complain, however. She had expected this weather, and dressed accordingly in the small airplane bathrooms. Traveling all over the country for the campaign tour had taught Rory that having a spare set of clothes in her purse was always a good idea.

Rory hailed another cab, and settled into the backseat with her luggage, directing the driver to Bradley International Hospital.

As the cab passed through the familiar city, Rory felt the knot in her stomach grow tighter and twist over and over again. When they pulled up in front of the hospital, Rory threw some money at the driver and grabbed her bag, not even waiting for change.

She attempted to run towards the revolving doors, but was hindered by her large duffel, slowing her run into an awkward jog. She didn't notice. Rory hustled onto the elevator, ignoring the looks she got from other disgruntled people as she took up space with her stuff. She got off as soon as the doors opened on the third floor, and made her way to the nurses station. "Hi, I'm looking for the Gilmore's? I'm their-" Rory was interrupted by the sound of her mother.

"Rory! Oh, honey, I am so glad you're here!" Rory barely had time to turn around before she was assailed by a huge hug from her mother. "Oh kid, you have no idea how much I've missed you. Emails and phone calls just aren't the same."

"Mom, you have no idea… and not that I don't want to talk to you all day and catch up, but how are Grandma and Grandpa?" Rory questioned.

At this, Lorelai pulled away, trying to inconspicuously wipe her teary, red, and puffy eyes with her hand. Rory noticed and grabbed her mother's hands, holding them between hers. Lorelai pulled away and turned to face the wall for a moment. She turned back to Rory after a quiet minute, and then said, "Listen. Babe, I don't… the doctor explained everything to me after Luke called you, but I didn't want to worry you before you got here. He was unconscious when they brought him in, and he has some broken bones and cuts and bruises. Um, Grandpa is in surgery right now. They had to wait for a surgeon to get here and prep, so that took a while. He's in surgery, and we should know soon how he's doing. He has a broken neck, some internal injuries, and um... oh god, Rory." Lorelai broke down, tears spilling from her electric blue eyes. Tears filled Rory's eyes as well, and she guided her sobbing mother towards the hard plastic chairs in the waiting area.

Lorelai composed herself after a large gulp of cold coffee, then continued. "They did an MRI right when he came in, and he has some brain damage. His brain bounced against his skull during the crash, and there is swelling and some broken blood vessels. They can't operate until the swelling goes down a bit, probably in about a week. The doctor said there is a high probability that there will be lasting effects, and that he will probably be handicapped for the rest of his life."

Throughout Lorelai's whole speech, Rory had been sitting next to her mother with one hand over her mouth and the other hand clinging tightly to her mother's. When Lorelai said that Richard would be handicapped for the rest of his life, Rory let out a low moan and covered her face with both of her hands. She couldn't bear the thought of her big, vibrant, and energetic grandfather as some helpless old man. He couldn't be. He was Richard Gilmore, damn it!

After Rory sat for a minute, she steeled herself and asked "And Grandma?"

Lorelai looked away. "Rory, she um," Lorelai grabbed Rory's hands and held tightly. Rory wondered if she was holding on to support Rory or to stop herself from running away. "She passed away about half an hour after Luke called you. It was very peaceful. The doctors said that because of the morphine, she wasn't in pain. I was sitting right there, and I swear, Rory, it looked just like she was sleeping."

Rory was now hunched over, hands still within her mother's grip. The sobs wracking her body were silent, shaking her whole body.

"Sweetie? Oh babe, I know. I know," Lorelai started crying again, and the two remaining Gilmore women just held each other and cried for the one they had lost.

* * *

A huge thanks goes out to: mrmp, gilmoregirlsalwaysandforever, fightingillini, molinhas, lorlukealways, Jeremy Shane, Amy, Venni Venti, Nicole Kathrine, LoVe23, Braelyn Rae, and macs ace. Sorry if I missed anyone!

Thanks for all the reviews, they make my day! No joke! It's a bit embarrassing, actually.

I had a few suggestions, and one of them was to make chapters longer. The first few will be short, but hopefully this one is a little longer and more satisfying for you guys. I looked at the next few chapters, and they tend to alternate in length- one is short, the next is long, followed by a short one, and etc. So rest assured that if one chapter is short, the next one will probably be nice and long.

Thanks for all the constructive criticism, I'm really trying to keep it in mind.

Please keep reviewing. The more you review, the faster I update!


	4. Chapter 4

Ch. 4

One Week Later

Rory cleared her throat and stood up, walking up the center aisle of the beautifully decorated church, her heels clacking methodically in the quiet church. She felt everyone's eyes on her back, held her head high as they followed her progress to the podium where the cantor normally sang.

The priest stepped aside as she neared the podium, and inclined his head respectfully. Rory just looked past him, then turned to face the crowd.

She saw her mother there in the front row, holding Luke's hand like it was her only lifeline to sanity. Maybe it was.

She glanced across the church, not daring to look at the coffin that was placed on the altar. She recognized various faces as the family and friends of the Gilmore family. Some she knew. Some she didn't. She didn't really care.

Rory looked down at the ornately carved wood of the podium, noticing that like the rest of the church, it was exquisitely detailed and probably very expensive. This was, after all, the church that Emily Gilmore chose to attend.

Finally Rory glanced up, knowing that she had to speak.

"You know, I'm a journalist. I don't want to sound arrogant, but I'm a pretty good one. I would have thought it would be easier to write something that would be a fitting tribute to my grandmother. But it wasn't. I wrote and rewrote my speech for today five times over the past few days, but found that none of the words I placed on paper could even begin to describe my grandmother. Everything that I wrote was just a painful reminder of the amazing woman that we have lost.

But then I remembered something. When I gave my valedictorian speech at Chilton about five years ago, I described my grandparents as the twin pillars in my life, without whom I cannot stand. And when I sat there in that hospital waiting room after hearing the news that my grandmother had died, I wondered how I could ever live without her. But now I know. Yes, my grandmother was one of the twin pillars of my life. She was an unfailingly kind and generous woman, who never showed me anything except all of the love she had to give. She taught me that while she would always be there to support me like the pillar of strength that she was, that I could also be strong on my own. Without Emily Gilmore, I would not be the person I am today. It is because of her that I can stand here today and thank her for teaching me to stand on my own.

I owe so much to my grandmother, and she will always be a presence in my life and always have a spot in my heart. I can only hope that when I have my own grandchildren one day, that I will be half the grandmother that she was to me."

Rory stepped down from the podium, and the next speaker went up. Another hour went by with speakers from the DAR, other family members, and finally Lorelai.

Lorelai began looked very uncomfortable, but Rory could see the determination in her eyes.

"Some of you might know this, some of you might not. But the truth is, for the better part of my life, I didn't like and sometimes even hated my mother." At this, family members gasped in shock and the ladies in the pews placed very offended and indignant looks on their faces. "Yes, it is true. My mother and I did not get along. I always felt like she wanted me to be somebody that I wasn't. She wanted a daughter that liked white lace and frills and cotillions, but I liked rock music and boys. Rory is a testament to that." A few audience members tittered at this, and even Rory allowed a small smile to creep onto her face. Forced, but a smile nonetheless.

"I ran away from home after I had Rory, and had virtually no contact with either of my parents after that. We spent holidays with them, and that was about it. That all changed when Rory entered Chilton. My mother offered to pay for Rory's education if we would attend weekly dinners. I didn't realize it at the time, but this was my mother's way of trying to reach out and reestablish a relationship with me and Rory.

Over the past few years, I have been spending almost every Friday night with my parents and Rory at their house. There were definitely a few bumps in the road on the way towards recovering my relationship with my mother, but during those dinners, I learned a lot about my mother.

I learned that she is- excuse me, was, unfailingly generous towards those she loved. She would always do what was right, no matter how much she dreaded the task. She was a valued member of the community, smart and beautiful. And though we were getting along, I didn't realize until she was gone how amazing my mother really was, or how much I loved her. I never got the chance to tell her, and my only hope is that she is looking down on us and knows how much I really do love her." Lorelai finished with a sob and walked quickly back to her seat, after resting a hand on her mother's casket.

Lorelai sat in between Luke and Rory, and both of them linked hands with her. Rory squeezed her mother's hand and Lorelai squeezed back. Though this action was meant to reassure her mother, Rory couldn't help but marvel at the hypocrisy she demonstrated. How could she tell Lorelai everything was going to be okay, when Rory didn't feel like anything would ever be right again?

* * *

Hi! Thanks for the reviews. I didn't get as many as I hoped I would, but I still appreciate each and every one. Thanks to Allyson Rae, macs ace, rogue20, Jeremy shane, LorLukealways, buffyangel47, Curley-Q, mrmp, mudgielovesgilmore, Amy, and Braelyn Rae. I love all of the feedback, you all are amazing. Sorry if I missed anyone!

I've gotten a lot of reviews saying that this is a very depressing and sad story. Yes, it definitely is! There is a reason why this is listed under tragedy, folks. And I am warning you: if this is getting too sad for you, back out now. It will get sadder, hint hint.

Thanks again, everyone. I hope this chapter is up to your standards. The next chapter is long, never fear!


	5. Chapter 5

Ch. 5

* * *

Rory sighed and sat down on the plastic armchair that was positioned by her grandfather's bedside. She reached out a hand and smoothed back the gray hair that was haphazardly lying across her grandfather's forehead.

Richard still hadn't woken up.

He had undergone neurosurgery to correct the brain swelling on the evening of Emily's funeral. Rory, Lorelai, and Luke had remained until the last people had left the cemetery before leaving as well, leaving behind only tears dripped onto the ground and white and pink roses thrown onto her dirt covered casket.

Rory had sent Lorelai and Luke home, after Rory had talked to Luke and agreed that Lorelai needed to rest and get some sleep. Lorelai had been on her feet planning the funeral and visiting the hospital since the day of the accident, and Rory also knew that she had been wracked with guilt over the fact that Emily never knew how much Lorelai loved her.

Rory couldn't blame her. Everyone had thought they would have more time with her. Rory thought that sometimes God had a cruel way of showing that he loved His people, and didn't agree with the well-meaning priest that Emily was in a better place now. Perhaps in time.

Rory had driven straight from the cemetery to the hospital, noticing with her journalistic irony that she was going to visit her grandfather in a place meant for healing while still wearing clothes from a funeral.

Richard had been moved into the operating room as soon as Rory arrived. He had emerged two hours later lying prone on a gurney. The doctor had come out to speak with Rory soon after wearing blood spattered scrubs and sporting a haggard look on his face.

"Ms. Gilmore," he began. "I'm sorry to say that the surgery did not go as well as we hoped. The damage was much more extensive than the MRI initially showed. Not only was the brain swelled to a massive proportion, but it appears that during the time it took for Richard to get from the crash scene until he was hooked up to oxygen, his brain was without oxygen. This damaged it severely. If Richard wakes up, he will be unable to perform the most basic actions like walking, talking, going to the bathroom or eating by himself. It is necessary that he will need to be taken care of 24/7."

Rory had been standing all the while the doctor was talking, and was unable to do so any longer. She leaned against the bulletin board behind her, mind whirling. Her brilliant grandfather, her amazing grandfather that taught her so much. He had a mind like a steel trap, a talent for numbers, and a real understanding of economics. To think that now he wouldn't even be able to eat without help was impossible.

"Ms. Gilmore?" It was the doctor. "Are you feeling faint?"

Rory shook her head slowly. "Wait. You said earlier.. 'if he wakes up.' When will he wake up?" she questioned in a shaky voice, a hint of panic lacing through her voice.

The doctor sighed, looking down at his shoes. "Ms. Gilmore, you have to understand that this is very difficult for me, both as a physician and as a friend of the family. It is unlikely that Richard will ever wake up. The damage to his brain was so extensive; that if we take him off life support now, his body will immediately shut down."

Rory squeezed her eyes shut. This couldn't be happening. It wasn't possible. He was supposed to come out of the surgery better, not worse! "So you're telling me that my grandfather is never going to wake up." She phrased it as a fact, not a question.

The doctor looked down at his shoes again. "There is always a chance that he will wake up. But it is a very minute one."

"How many patients recover from this type of injury?" Rory questioned, feeling her journalistic need for facts and research kicking in.

"Very few, I'm afraid. Those that do are considered anomalies in the medical profession, and are not regarded as 'normal', so to speak." The doctor answered.

"And there is no other treatment? No.. shock waves, or chemicals, or surgery that will help him?"

"There are some options, yes. We can wait a few months and then operate again, but it is unlikely that it will change anything. No, there are no shock waves or chemicals to cure this. The problem is the brain itself, which we cannot target easily." The doctor replied, subtly putting the medical terminology into layman's terms.

"So in a few months, you can operate again? How much will it increase his chances of waking up?" Rory questioned, hoping for good news.

"Richard has about a five percent chance of waking up now. If we operate again in a few months, that number could fluctuate, depending on how stable this condition remains. Right now, he is entirely dependent on life support. For all intents and purposes, Richard is what people in the medical profession call brain dead."

Rory walked slowly down the hall towards her grandfather's room, with the doctor hesitantly following behind her. "He looks so peaceful, doesn't he," Rory stated.

The doctor inclined his head, mildly confused by the calm behavior the young woman was exhibiting.

"What are our options?" Rory asked.

"Well," the doctor said, thinking carefully about how he wanted to phrase the next few sentences. "We can operate in a few months, but it will in all likelihood not change anything. At that point, you can choose to terminate life support if you wish. You could also choose to keep Richard on life support and have him moved to a care facility that is equipped to deal with his medical needs. You could terminate life support now, if you so choose. You could move Richard into the care facility now, not operate and never terminate life support. It basically all comes down to whether you are comfortable with the thought of terminating life support or not. Because you and your mother are next of kin, you will have to be the ones to make this decision."

"I can't make it now!" Rory cried, misunderstanding the doctor.

"Of course not!" the doctor rushed to pacify Rory. "We would never expect that. The hospital has counselors for families like yours, and we can set you up with an appointment if you like. Or you can just go home and discuss it there. There is no rush. For as long as Richard is under our roof, you can rest assured he is getting the medical care he deserves."

Rory nodded. "He is a Gilmore, after all," she commented, eyes filling with tears. Rory left the hospital, knowing that she needed to talk to her mother.

* * *

Rory slowed her Prius to a stop outside her mother's Stars Hollow home. She wasn't sure when she stopped referring to it as her home, but the thought unnerved her slightly. She took the keys out of the ignition and popped the Bangles CD out of the CD player. She put it in the case, then stowed it under the seat with all of the others.

She was just stalling now.

Rory took a sip of the coffee she had bought from a Starbucks across from the hospital. It didn't taste like anything. Nothing had a taste anymore. Food and drink had lost all sensation to her on the day she left Des Moines for Hartford.

She slowly got out of the car and walked up to the porch, stopping for only a moment to pet Paul Anka. What she saw when she moved into the living room nearly made her heart break. Luke was asleep on the couch, and Lorelai was standing in front of the fireplace looking at the photos on the mantle.

One photo in particular. It was a picture of Emily and Lorelai when Lorelai had been maybe fourteen years old, at a friend's garden party. Lorelai was sporting a sarcastic, angry smirk, and the firm lines of Emily's mouth showed that she was trying desperately to control her anger. The unhappiness in the photo radiated outwards.

Rory had once asked why Lorelai kept it. Lorelai had just frowned a little and said, "You know, I'm not quite sure." Rory had dropped the subject.

She knew now that Lorelai was caught in the throes of anguish about how she had wasted so many years with Emily. Rory felt helpless, because she didn't know how to fix the hurt that her mother was feeling. A movie night with tons of junk food wouldn't cure the aches and pains in their hearts now. No amount of sugar or starch could make them forget the image of that coffin being lowered into the ground.

Rory took a deep breath. "Mom," she said softly. Timidly. "I need to talk to you."

Lorelai looked at Rory listlessly. "Hey kid. How is Dad? I tried to call the hospital, but the doctor was with another patient and the nurses wouldn't give me information over the phone. And your phone was off, I guess."

"Really? Oh, that's right. I turned it off. It interferes with the heart monitors, or something. The nurse yelled at me."

"She should get together with Luke and make a petition to ban cell phones from all public places or something," Lorelai joked halfheartedly.

Rory gave a chuckle, more out of desperation to keep her mother happy than anything else.

"So? How's Dad?" Lorelai questioned.

"Mom, can we sit down?" Rory asked.

Lorelai's eyes closed and her eyebrows creased. "This isn't good, huh," she stated, the tone of her voice giving away the answer she already knew.

Rory just shook her head and offered what was left of her Starbucks coffee.

* * *

Hi! Thanks for all of the reviews, you guys are so great! Thanks to: macs ace, Braelyn Rae, NicoleKathrine, Loridhhp, Curley-Q, Buffyangel47, Jeremy Shane, LorLukeAlways, LoVe23.

I've had some questions about Tristan, and never fear, he will be coming in soon. Chapter 7, most likely. I know you guys are eager for the romance, but all of this medical mumbo jumbo and sadness is very important. It's setting everything for the rest of the story up (there will be 22 chapters), so it's necessary that the pace of the story goes kind of slow in the beginning. Please just bear with me.

Like I said, the reviews are so great. They make me want to update very fast… so, the more you guys review, the sooner the chapters come! I promise!

Thanks

Beth


	6. Chapter 6

Ch. 6

It had been three weeks since the fateful day of Richard's operation. Some things had returned to normal, while others had not. Lorelai and Luke had returned to work, though Lorelai was significantly less outgoing. She had lost all of the energy that made her so beloved around town, and the townspeople were concerned. She didn't go out unless it was to work or to Luke's, and even then, she did her work quickly and quietly. She spent the majority of her time at the hospital, reading the financial sections of various newspapers to her father.

Rory had moved back into her room in her mother's house. For a while, she had toyed with the idea of moving into the Gilmore's pool house again, but the memories that assaulted her as she walked around the property were too strong to bear.

Rory had been going over to the Gilmore house for a few hours every day, tying up loose ends. Not that Emily had left many. Her will was iron clad, but was not much use to anybody. The majority of her possessions were left to Richard, who was obviously in no state to deal with them. Rory had been in the process of boxing up her clothing, separating into piles what was meant to be donated, what was meant to be saved, what was meant to be given to Rory and Lorelai, and so on. Emily had been very organized, unlike Richard's mother before her.

Though it was hard for Rory to return to the Gilmore house and sift through Emily's possessions every day, Rory doggedly kept at the task with admirable perseverance. Cards and condolences were still arriving every day, but thankfully, there were no flowers. In Emily's obituary, Rory had asked for people to donate to Emily's various charities, in lieu of flowers. Rory had had no idea how many people really admired her grandmother.

Rory had kept only the gardener and one maid as staff for the large house. The gardener, because Rory killed anything green if she so much came near it with her thumb; and the maid because it was nice to have some company during those lonely, quiet days.

In the evenings, Rory would join Lorelai at the hospital and hang out with her grandfather. His condition had neither worsened nor improved, and Lorelai and Rory were becoming resigned to the fact that they would need to make a decision about what to do about him soon.

Rory had been taking a break for some dinner and coffee (it still didn't taste like anything) in the cafeteria one evening when she ran into somebody that she didn't expect to see. Someone who, at the time, she didn't consider important. Little did she know that this person would end up becoming her saving grace.

* * *

Hi everyone! Sorry it's been so long...life happens, you know how it is! This is really a filler chapter, I'm not sure why I even wrote it as its own chapter. But anyway, I felt a little guilty updating this chapter only,so I'll upload another chapter right after this one... so you guys basically get a two for one!

And let me tell you, you guys deserve it! The reviews were great, and I hope they keep coming! To all of my loyal reviewers..you're the best. To the new reviewers.. welcome,and thank you so so so much! I love hearing all of your ideas. Please, keep the criticisms and tips coming! They really help, whether you think so or not!

Thanks to: nemo, Braelyn Rae, lukeandlorelaidanes, macs dane, rogue 20, LoVe23, LorLukeAlways, Gilmorecrazed2010, Loridhhp, mrmp, gilmorepowerrangerkylexyfan, Curley Q.


	7. Chapter 7

Ch. 7

Rory sighed, looking at the unappetizing and congealed food that Bradley International Hospital had to offer. "You'd think that a hospital with so many wealthy beneficiaries could afford to have some better food," Rory muttered under her breath. Sighing again, she reached out for a container of lumpy lasagna. Before she grasped the dish, a voice spoke from behind her.

"You know, Mary, sighing won't make the food taste any better," said the voice with a hint of mischievousness in it.

Rory let a small smile grace her lips as she turned around.

"Well, well. Tristan DuGrey. Of all the gin joints in all the world…what are you doing here?" Rory asked, head tilting to one side in curiosity.

"Woah, woah, Mary! Twenty questions already? Don't I even get a hug? I haven't seen you in what, six years?" Tristan questioned mockingly.

Rory laughed, and nodded in acquiescence. "Sure, you can have a hug. If you promise that you'll take me out to get some decent dinner and catch up."

"Today?" Tristan questioned, a note of surprise entering his voice.

"Sure. I have nothing better to do. We are in a hospital, after all. They aren't going anywhere." Rory shrugged, the last part of her sentence in a breathy undertone.

"True, very true." Tristan chuckled. "Well then, are you ready to go?"

"Yes, I am. Oh, can I pick the place?" Rory asked eagerly.

"Yeah, I think I can handle that." Tristan said amusedly.

As they headed out to the parking deck where Tristan had left his car, they walked in comfortable silence. Tristan took this time to observe his dinner companion. He hadn't seen her since their junior year at Chilton, and she had definitely changed since then.

Her hair was still long and dark, but she had bangs now. She had filled out a little and was dressing less like an innocent sixteen year old girl and more like a mature and sophisticated twenty one year old. Her eyes and face though, were what Tristan couldn't get over. Sure, she had smiled a few times at him, but it didn't seem real. Her eyes weren't the lively, bright, and sparkling ones that had fascinated him in their high school years. Her cheeks were gaunt and she was pale- almost sickly.

Rory looked over at him as he was scanning her face. "What?" She blushed. "Do I have something on my face?"

"No, no. You look great," he said truthfully. Because even if she wasn't as lively, Rory Gilmore was still the same beautiful girl that had stolen his heart all those years ago.

They approached a small and modest Toyota. "This is quite a step down from the Porche that you used to drive, huh?"

"Definitely." Tristan acknowledges. "And it's funny, but I actually like the Toyota better."

"Me too," Rory agreed. "Modesty is much more appealing than vanity when choosing a car."

"Oh, Mary, so you're saying you find my modest choice in cars attractive?" He grinned lasciviously.

Rory just rolled her eyes. "You haven't really changed at all, have you?"

"That's up for you to decide, milady. That will be much easier when we're eating dinner, so where to?" He asked as the car started up and he began down the exit ramp.

"Oh!" Rory exclaimed. "Okay, so you're going to go onto the highway, and it's just a couple exits down. I'll tell you when to pull over."

Tristan nodded. "Feel free to pick a radio station or a CD, if you want."

Rory raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Thanks," she muttered, already engrossed in the CD case that had been lying on the dashboard.

They drove for a few minutes more, and then Rory directed Tristan to the same drive-in taco restaurant that Lorelai had taken Jason to after their disastrous dinner at the nice restaurant and then their impromptu grocery store dinner.

They ordered, and then Tristan drove a few miles to a scenic overlook that had a nice view of a lake. The lake was quiet and calm, with the water reflecting the trees with leaves just barely turning reds and gold.

"Tristan, if you were going to drive me out here and kill me, you should have picked a better spot." Rory joked.

"Ah, funny girl! Real funny, Mary. But.. I noticed you didn't tell anybody where you were going. Maybe I do have a diabolical plan to off you and dump your body in the water," he joked back.

"Oh no, not possible. See, the guy at the take out window knows who I am. Me and my mom are regular customers. Didn't you notice how he said 'Hi Rory' when I asked for my order? He'll cough up information if missing posters start going up," Rory said smugly.

Tristan grinned and shook his head. "You've outwitted me again. How ever shall I survive?"

Rory just laughed, and was almost surprised by the sound coming from her mouth. Sure, she had laughed over the past horrible month, but it was almost always forced. She hadn't felt this at ease since before the car accident.

The pensive look on Rory's face caught Tristan's attention. "So Rory, what have you been up to since junior year?"

"Well, I graduated valedictorian and vice president of our class," Rory said. "But I think my greatest accomplishment was getting to be friends with Paris."

"Really?" Tristan asked. "I saw your speech on CSPAN, with Paris freaking about college. It didn't look too friendly there," he commented.

"It's Paris. She got over it. We roomed together in college, believe it or not. Paris's life coach thought that our life journey wasn't over yet."

Tristan chose to ignore the part about the life coach. "At Harvard?"

"No, Yale, actually. It made my grandfather very happy." Rory said softly, a sad look flitting across her face.

"What was your major?" Tristan questioned, eager to keep the conversation moving and the sad look off Rory's face.

"Journalism. I graduated this year, and was on the Barack Obama campaign tour for a while, working for an E-Zine. I came home though." Rory, not wanting to explain why she came home, asked "And what about you, Mr. Military Man?"

"Well, I was shipped out right after we left Chilton on the night of the play. I hated it the first week or so, but once I realized that kicking up a fuss wasn't going to get me home, I settled in and realized I actually really liked it. I guess I needed the structure." He commented. "I made a few good friends that kept me on the straight and narrow. I worked hard, went to summer school and took extra classes and AP courses, so I graduated high school a year earlier than you."

"Wow! Tristan, that's great! I'm so proud of you. I knew the whole time at Chilton that you were way too smart to be goofing around so much." Rory said, a small smile on her face.

"Yeah, well," Tristan muttered gruffly, scratching the back of his neck. Rory took the cue and said, "How about college?"

"Since I graduated one year early I got a great scholarship, and I needed it, considering my father basically disowned me. I was accepted into Brown, majored in pre-med, and I am now in my second year of med school," Tristan replied easily, wadding up the paper wrappers from his tacos. Rory followed suit, balling up her bag that had been filled with a burrito and a taco.

"That's so cool. What are you planning on specializing in?" Rory questioned.

"Emergency medicine," Tristan shrugged. "Nothing like heart surgery or brain surgery, but I find that I like the fast paced work the most. I can't handle the slow and methodical side of medicine, I like to be able to assess the problem and react quickly."

"That is so great, Tristan." Rory said admiringly.

Then, something he said struck her. "Wait, a scholarship? Your father disowned you?" she asked in disbelief.

"Not technically, no, but for all intents and purposes, yes. I'm no longer invited to family gatherings, invited to society parties, etc. I am unofficially no longer a member of Hartford society." He said bitterly.

"You okay with that?" Rory asked softly.

A muscle clenched in Tristan's jaw. "You know, I think you're the first person that's asked that. Most people just get uncomfortable and change the subject," he said.

"Maybe it's the journalist in me. Or maybe I'm just not like other people," Rory suggested.

"Maybe a combo?" Tristan grinned. "Hey, listen. I don't want to cut this short, but I've got a class early tomorrow morning. I was at the hospital all day for a class today, so I should get some sleep."

"Oh, of course!" Rory cried. "I didn't mean to keep you so late."

"Don't worry. Even if I only get an hour or so of sleep, my dreams will be of you anyway," he winked lasciviously.

"Tristan, that was sweet, but a very played out line," Rory mocked him laughingly.

"Yeah, yeah, I know. Call me vintage, I haven't had nearly as much action with the ladies since high school. School takes up so much time, you know how it is," he slanted a look towards her, hoping to garner a hint about her love life.

"Hmm." Rory agreed.

Within ten minutes, they were back at the parking deck. Tristan pulled up next to Rory's car, then got out with her and leaned through her window once she was inside.

"Hey, do you maybe want to do this again sometime? Soon?" he asked. "It doesn't have to be a date," he added, seeing Rory's slightly panicked face. "We can just hang out. I'd like to have a friend up here, I just transferred here this semester."

Rory smiled gratefully. "That sounds great Tristan. Maybe one day, just not right now. I have a lot going on, and I'm just.." she looked away. "I'm just not ready," she concluded, looking up at him.

Tristan smiled. "I'll call you, okay? Here's my number if you want to call me first," he said while scribbling down his number.

Rory accepted the number written on a gum wrapper, while she rooted in her purse for a pen and a post it. "Here's my number," she said.

"I'll see you soon, Rory!" he called as he walked around to his car.

Rory rolled up the window. "Yeah, soon," she said softly.

* * *

Hi everyone! Last chapter was a filler, so you get two tonight! Here's my thoughts about this chapter. It might seem very introductory, but it actually contained a lot of important information...it was just cleverly hidden (hopefully).

We learned that Tristan got his act together in military school, is no longer involved in Hartford society, is in med school, and is really trying to keep his life on the straight and narrow. We also learned that while he is responsible and hardworking now, he still has the old Tristan personality- suggestive comments, hints about love life... in this manner, I hoped to keep Tristan in-character. He's hard to write, as I'm sure some of you know. His life after Chilton is completely unknown, so this chapter was a lot of conjecture. We learned that he's still interested in Rory... and that Rory hasn't noticed it yet, but will! Never fear!

Please, please, please let me know what you think. I need constructive criticism about Tristan- I am worried about his being out-of-character. Honest opinions... it's for posterity, after all!

Beth


	8. Chapter 8

**Ch. 8**

Rory stepped off the elevator when the doors opened and made her way down the hallway. She nodded at Leticia, the evening nurse for Richard's floor. She murmured a hello to the physical therapist that was coming out of Room 202. Rory knew all of the staff on Richard's floor now, simply because she visited so often.

She entered her grandfather's room. Like every time, the sight of her grandfather lying silently on the bed still gripped her heart like an iron fist. He hardly even looked alive anymore. His skin had taken on a gray pallor, and his hair was short and bristly after it had been shaved for surgery. His veins stood out against his pale skin, a deep blue. A steadily beeping heart monitor reassured Rory that he had lived through the night.

Not that he was really alive anyway.

Rory and Lorelai had hope at first that he would wake up, but as the days went by and there was no change, the Gilmore girls were becoming resigned to the fact that they needed to make a decision.

Other family members had been calling regularly and asking about Richard, but Lorelai and Rory skillfully evaded their questions about Richard's future. Their cousin Marilyn had tried to get in the middle of the situation by offering her opinion about whether to prolong Richard's life or not. She had said that it would be cruel to terminate Richard's life when there was still a chance of him waking up.

And a part of Rory thought that as well. It still seemed so wrong to her, that her big, strong and intelligent grandpa was never going to wake up. He was a Gilmore, he had to wake up. It couldn't be possible that he was gone from her forever. But the other part of Rory knew that she had to face facts. She was a journalist and had been trained by one of the best schools in the country to act objectively and always look at the facts when assessing a situation.

Rory sighed and pressed a kiss to her grandfather's cheek. She moved over to the table by the window and replaced the single flower in the vase with a new one. Every day, she brought a freshly clipped flower from the Gilmore garden to the hospital. Rory sat with him for a few minutes more, knowing that her mother would soon be there.

Sure enough, Lorelai entered the hotel room a short while later. She was still dressed in her work clothes, clothes that had been hanging progressively looser on her frame as the days went by. Rory knew that no matter how much Luke tried to get Lorelai to eat, she just wasn't taking care of herself anymore.

"Hey kiddo!" Lorelai said with a air of forced cheerfulness.

"Hi, Mom." Rory answered, giving Lorelai a big hug.

"Any change?" her mother questioned.

"No." responded Rory quietly.

"I didn't think so. I mean, I was just here yesterday at dinner time. I doubted much could have happened since then," Lorelai said with a wry smile.

Rory hummed in assent.

The two Gilmores sat and talked quietly, each holding one of Richard's hand.

"Hey, do you want to go get dinner somewhere?" Lorelai asked. "Maybe see a movie? Luke's out of town tonight, he went fishing with a buddy."

"Oh, I see how it is," Rory giggled. "You only want to hang out because Luke's gone. I'm second best now, huh?"

"Rory. Darling. You have always been second best, surely you have learned this by now!" Lorelai joked.

Rory just rolled her eyes, and for a minute, felt like things were back to normal. She was brought back into reality by the feel of her grandfather's slightly cold hand in hers.

"Sure, Mom. Dinner sounds really good," said Rory. She stood up and grabbed her purse.

Lorelai stood as well, then followed Rory out the door. Before she left, however, she turned slightly and looked back into her father's room. "Bye, Dad. I love you." She whispered.

The two Gilmores walked outside into the parking deck. As Rory and Lorelai were discussing where to go for dinner, Lorelai gasped and smacked herself in the forehead. "Ah, shoot! I promised Sookie I would babysit tonight for Martha and Davy! She and Jackson are going to some seminar about imported vegetables," Lorelai exclaimed.

"Imported vegetables?" Rory questioned.

"Yeah, they're giving a tag team speech about the pros of using locally grown produce rather than…" Lorelai trailed off, seeing Rory's eyebrows raised. "Nevermind. Look, we'll reschedule, okay?"

Rory smiled and gave her mom a hug. "Sure thing. Call me later."

"Bye kid!" Lorelai called out of the window of her Jeep as she headed back to Stars Hollow.

Rory shook her head, amused by the perpetually forgetful actions of her slightly insane mother. _And I wonder where I get it from sometimes,_ she mused.

Rory got behind the wheel of her Prius and tossed her purse onto her passenger seat. She was struck with an idea as she remembered the same parking lot a few days earlier, and a conversation with a different person. She grinned and pulled her cell phone out of her purse, scanning through her contact list to find Tristan's phone number.

The phone rang a few times before he answered. "Mary, what a surprise," Tristan said. "I would have thought you were on a hot date, it's Friday night, you know," he teased.

"Well, Tristan, I was just ditched by my mother, so I guess I don't have any dates tonight. You interested in maybe getting some dinner? I don't really feel like being alone." Rory asked.

"Ah, damn. I wish I could. I have to study with a friend for a class tomorrow. It's been kicking my butt lately." He groaned.

"Oh. Don't worry about it." Rory said, a hint of disappointment in her voice. "Well, maybe some other time," she said.

"We should be finished studying in about an hour, you know. We're just reviewing notes for tomorrow. If you wanted to come over afterwards, we could maybe do take out and watch T.V." Tristan offered.

Rory couldn't stop the grin that stretched across her face. "That sounds really good. How about pizza?" she asked.

"Nice. I'll see you at eight?"

"Yeah. Oh, wait! Where do you live?" Rory asked, puzzled. She couldn't remember him ever mentioning it.

"It's 635 Delarose Avenue, in downtown Hartford. Not the best area, but it's better than most dorms and my room mate is pretty cool," he laughed. "Just come on up to the third floor, we don't have a buzzer or anything. Oh, and don't take the elevator on the left side, it gets stuck all the time, usually between the first and second floors."

Rory raised her eyebrows. She knew that he was estranged from his family and wasn't living at home, but had assumed he was getting help from his grandparents. From the description of his place, apparently not. "Okay, I'll see you then. Bye, Tristan."

Without waiting for an answer, Rory hung up and then tossed her phone back in her purse. A little giggle bubbled from her mouth, startling Rory. _When was the last time she had been so excited about a boy_? She thought. _Logan._ She realized.

Pushing the thoughts of her ex from her mind, Rory turned the key in the ignition and headed to downtown Hartford. Maybe she could kill some time there until she had to go pick up the pizza. "Who would have thought? Tristan DuGrey," Rory chuckled.

* * *

Hi everyone! Sorry it took so long. There were some issues with the files that I saved the story under... they all mixed together somehow, so I had to seperate all of the chapters from each other, edit them, and then put them in the right order again. Quite a dilemma for someone technologically-challenged, like me. 

**I hope you enjoyed this one. I'll probably update either late tonight or tomorrow morning with Chapter 9. Please let me know what you thought!**

**Thanks to: Jeremy Shane, mrmp, nemo123489, Curley-Q, Braelyn Rae, LoVe23, Loridhhp, and kisstommyg. **

**Lori, mrmp, and Braelyn Rae:** thanks for sympathizing about Tristan. I was so nervous that he wasn't quite right, and I still don't think he is "in character", but I'm trying. Please keep an eye out and let me know whenever I start to take too many liberties with his character... I'm sure you guys can help me with that, right?


	9. Chapter 9

**Ch. 9**

Rory pulled up to 635 Delarose Avenue, Tristan's apartment building. Tristan had told her that it wasn't a great area, but she was slightly shocked at just how bad it was. There were people hanging around in front of the building smoking cigarettes and drinking beer, lurking in the shadows. There was a homeless man sleeping on the dirty concrete steps leading to the apartment building, and there were weeds growing up the chipped brick face of the building.

Rory knew that she had led a sheltered life, that she had the best of everything. Even though her time on the Obama campaign trail had toughened her up a little, Rory was not ashamed to admit that she was intimidated by this area. She was relieved when the door to the apartment building opened and Tristan walked out. He walked over to the driver's side of her car, and Rory rolled down the window with a smile.

"Mary, it's good to see you." Tristan said truthfully. "After you hung up on me, thanks for that by the way, I realized that you probably wouldn't want to walk inside alone, especially with your hands full."

"Thanks, Tristan. You were right," Rory said. _That was really sweet_, Rory thought.

Tristan opened the door, then held out his hands. "I seem to recall a promise of pizza?" He joked.

Rory rolled her eyes and handed him the box that had been lying on the passenger seat. "Careful, it's hot," she warned.

"So are you," Tristan smirked.

Rory tilted her head and leveled him a mock glare.

Rory got out of the car and slung her purse onto her shoulder, holding it tightly with one hand as they walked into the apartment building. Tristan led her over to the second elevator and punched his floor number.

They were soon in a dimly lit, dingy, and dusty hallway with about thirteen doors. Tristan walked over to Apartment 22 and shoved his key in the lock. They stepped inside when the door creaked open, and Rory was pleasantly surprised.

The inside of Tristan's apartment was much nicer than the outside had led her to believe it would be. It wasn't the Taj Mahal, but it was clean and tidy. _Tidier than our house_, Rory thought amusedly. Tristan had walked over to the small kitchen and set down the steaming box of pizza.

"What would you like to drink? I've got water, some beer- regular and light, and a couple cans of Coke. Oh, and coffee." Tristan offered.

"I'll have a light beer, thanks." Rory replied.

Tristan was moderately surprised. Yes, they were both of age, but he hadn't figured Rory Gilmore for much of a drinker. He popped the top of his and Rory's beers, grabbed some paper plates, and walked over to the futon in the living room. "Can you grab the pizza?" he asked.

Rory brought it over to the couch and sat down next to him, folding one leg underneath her. Tristan plopped a slice of the plain cheese pizza onto paper plates for both of them, and soon the pair were too involved in inhaling steaming and flavorful dinner to talk. Rory finished off her slice first, took a sip of beer and then took another slice. Tristan grinned at her voracious appetite. Most girls he dated would finish barely a slice because they were too worried about their weight.

Rory leaned back against the futon and sighed. Tristan looked over at her. "What's up with you?" he questioned, feeling slightly nervous that she would take offense.

Rory looked at the coffee table and didn't answer for a moment. "I'm just a little overwhelmed. And sad."

Tristan dropped his plate onto the coffee table and sat back on the couch, twisting his body to fully face hers. "Why? Is there anything I can do?"

"Why?" Rory said, feeling slightly confused. "My grandparents. Why else?"

"What's wrong with your grandparents?" Tristan asked, a frown marring his features.

Rory blinked, then blinked again. Suddenly, she smacked her hand against her forehead. _Stupid Rory, stupid Rory! You didn't tell him, idiot! _"I didn't tell you, did I." Rory phrased the last comment as a statement rather than a question.

"Um, no." Tristan replied.

"Of course I didn't. And you didn't know, because you're not in Hartford society anymore. And you wouldn't have seen it in the papers because you just moved up here from North Carolina," Rory finished, the pieces finally fitting together.

"Right," Tristan agreed, running a hand through his short blond hair.

"Okay, well," Rory started, before stopping with a grimace on her face. "This isn't really easy to talk about."

Tristan reached over and grasped her hand within his, curling his fingers around hers supportively.

Rory glanced up at his bright blue eyes in surprise before blushing and glancing down at their joined hands. Still not looking at him, she continued. "My grandparents were driving home from a Labor Day party when their car was hit by a drunk driver. They got to the hospital, but my grandmother died after just an hour or so. My grandfather had to have brain surgery, but it didn't go that well. He hasn't woken up, and it totally dependent on life support. Basically, he's a vegetable." Rory finished, her eyes bright with a sheen of tears.

Tristan gripped her hands, not knowing what to say. "Mary, I'm so sorry." He whispered. "I had no idea. God, you must have been so upset. How are you doing?" he asked. "Sorry, stupid question." He said nervously.

"No, it is not a stupid question." Rory said sincerely. "A lot of people don't even want to talk about it, because they're afraid that I'll have a sudden mental breakdown or something. People feel uncomfortable around me." Rory shrugged. "That day after the hospital, it was nice hanging out with you, because you didn't treat me like a china doll. I was just Rory again."

Tristan remained quiet for a minute, a pensive look in his eyes. "Mare… you are so strong. I can't even imagine dealing with everything that you're dealing with right now. But it is okay to be sad, you know. You don't have to feel bad for not being strong all the time."

Rory looked at the serious expression in his eyes. "Thank you Tristan. It means a lot that you're being so nice and supportive. I could really use a friend right now, and I'd really like for it to be you." She said shyly.

Tristan grinned. "Never thought there would be a day that you didn't hate me anymore. In Chilton, it was all I wanted, to be considered a friend by you. I tried, but I think I tried too hard."

Rory laughed out loud. "Yes, you definitely did! Half the time, I thought you were a complete jerk and a spoiled rich boy. The other half, I was trying to figure out why I liked you so much." She admitted.

"You liked me?" Tristan said in shock. "Wait, like as in… friends? Or like as in like-like?" he asked, putting emphasis on the words like-like.

Rory rolled her eyes. "Tristan, seriously? Like-like? Are we in middle school again?"

"Mary, don't avoid the question, that tactic doesn't work with me!" Tristan teased.

"Fine. I'll answer." Rory pouted, sticking her tongue out. Tristan responded in kind. "I liked you as a friend, but I think that if you had stayed at Chilton instead of going to military school, I could have liked you a lot more. And don't even say it- my Yale education will not allow me to use the word 'like-like'."

Tristan let out a low whistle. "Never saw that one coming,"

Rory leaned over and rapped her knuckles on Tristan's head. "I didn't think it was possible, but I think your head just got bigger from your overly large ego," she teased.

"Haha, funny!" Tristan grumbled, catching her hand in his and holding it against his chest.

Rory took a sharp intake of breath at the sensation of his firm torso against her hand, and desperately hoped that her palms weren't sweating. Tristan grabbed the remote with his free hand and tossed it in her lap. "Pick a channel, any channel," he said in an imitation of a cheesy game show host.

Rory rolled her eyes and fought a smile. _She seemed to be doing that a lot lately_, she noticed absently as she flipped through the channels before deciding on a rerun of House.

Still holding hands with Tristan, Rory settled back against his shoulder in an attempt to get more comfy on the lumpy futon. "Hey Tristan?" she murmured, words muffled against the fabric of his shirt. "Thanks for being to understanding about my grandparents. I just need you to know that I'm not in the best place mentally right now, and I'm sorry if I ever seem sad or distant with you."

Tristan smiled into her hair. "Rory Gilmore, you are a very special person. I think you're great, and I would really like a chance to date you. If I have to wait until you're ready to start going out and your grandfather is doing better, I'm fine with that. I'd wait for a very long time for you."

"Thank you." Rory whispered simply. With that, she let her heavy eyes slip closed, barely noticing as Tristan flicked off the television and settled deeper into the cushions. Rory slowly slipped into a peaceful and dreamless sleep for the first time since the accident.

* * *

Hi everyone! Thanks for the reviews. They're really great. Seeing the messages in my inbox always brings a smile to my face. Thanks to: Braelyn Rae, Loriddhp, mrmp, nemo123489, Jeremy Shane, kisstommyg, and Curley-Q. 

You guys had some really great comments. Yes, Lorelai is definitely still carrying around a lot of guilt and regret. We've seen on the show that Lorelai tries to just go and go and go, without stopping to take the time to gather her bearings.. we saw that when Lorelai broke down about the money and the inn. She just tried to push past it and ignore the situation, and we saw how well that turned out.. hint hint. Your comments about Tristan made a lot of sense also. He was loosely defined, and we didn't know too much about him, except for that he was a typical teenage boy. He did change in military school (at least, he did in my idea of it!), so he has more possibilities to explore now.

We saw some important things happen in this chapter. It was revealed how Tristan is living his life now, and gives a little more insight into him. It showed that Rory is beginning to trust Tristan with the details about her grandparents, and that the pair are growing closer. Hopefully you all liked it.

I'd love some reviews... can we try to get to 75? It would definitely make tomorrow a good Monday!


	10. Chapter 10

Ch. 10

Rory yawned and stretched as she felt warm sunlight falling on her face. Assuming that she was in her bed in Stars Hollow, Rory blindly reached out for the glass of water she kept on her nightstand. What she encountered instead was the metal frame of something that was definitely not her nightstand. Rory jerked awake and opened her eyes, breathing a sigh in relief when she remembered that she was at Tristan's apartment. But where was Tristan?

Rory stood up and wandered into the kitchen, where she was greeted by the sight of Tristan leaning into the refrigerator to grab something, his jeans hugging his lower body nicely. Rory took a moment to notice the view, and then noticed another presence in the kitchen.

There was a young man maybe a bit older than Tristan and herself sitting on a small stool, using the counter as a table. He tipped an imaginary hat in her direction and then took a huge bite of what looked like Lucky Charms.

"Um, hi. I'm Rory." She said awkwardly, hoping that Tristan would jump into the conversation soon. Tristan abruptly stood up banging his head on the top of the fridge.

"Oww!" he exclaimed.

Rory laughed. "Poor baby," she teased. Tristan sent her a mock glare.

"Rory, this is my room mate Jason. Jason, this is my friend Rory."

"Hi, Jason." Rory offered a smile in his direction.

Jason finished his cereal and dumped his bowl in the sink in one fluid motion. "Nice to meet you Rory. Sorry we didn't get a chance to talk more, but I've got a class in about ten minutes, and campus is about fifteen minutes away. I'll see you soon. I'm guessing you'll be hanging around a lot?" He asked, eyebrows waggling in Tristan's direction.

Rory smiled. "I guess so. Nice to meet you too, Jason."

He and Tristan did the manly hug/handshake that all guys seemed to do, and then it was just her and Tristan in the kitchen.

Tristan walked over and gave her a kiss on the top of her head. "Good morning, Sleeping Beauty,"

"Morning. Any chance you made coffee?" Rory questioned.

"Ye of little faith!" Tristan cried dramatically. He continued in his normal voice. "On the counter over there."

After they finished their breakfast of coffee, cereal and slightly stale toast, Tristan explained that he needed to get to campus for a class he had in half an hour. Rory gathered her belongings as well, and the two headed downstairs. As they waited for the elevator, Tristan asked "So what do you think of the life of a typical overworked med student?"

"Well, the building is a little…rough." Rory responded. "But I think it's great. I have so much respect for you, for working so hard to do something so great."

A blush rose on Tristan's sharply angled cheeks. "Thanks, Mary." He muttered.

"No problem," Rory said cheerfully, taking a little pleasure in his discomfort.

Tristan must have caught the mischievous note in her voice, for he playfully slugged her arm when he saw her smile. Tristan opened her car door for her, and when Rory was buckled in she unrolled her window. Tristan leaned through it and asked, "So when can I see you again?"

Rory smiled and touched his hand. She was quiet for a minute as she thought. "What do you think about coming to the hospital with me to visit Grandpa? Maybe Saturday afternoon?" She took a deep breath, unsure of Tristan's reaction to this odd request.

Tristan just nodded. "I would love that Rory. I'm glad you think highly enough of me to bring me to see your Grandfather."

Rory ducked her head and fiddled with the strap on her purse. "So Saturday afternoon? I'll call you later and we can work out a time, make sure you don't have class or something."

"Sounds good. I'll talk to you then." Tristan replied. He picked up Rory's hand that had been playing with her purse and lifted it to his lips. He gently kissed her knuckles, causing shivers to race up her spine.

He grinned and walked towards his own car, getting in and then pulling away. Mouth agape, Rory watched his taillights disappear around the corner. Staring down at her knuckles, Rory let out a giggle and then pulled out in the opposite direction, then pressed speed dial to call her mother.

* * *

Author's Notes: 

First off, sorry this took so long. I hope nobody gave up on it! I won't give you too much detail, but there was major stuff going on in my life that needed immediate attention. Hopefully the next few updates won't be so far apart.

That being said, here are a few notes about the chapter. We see a little bit of flirtation going on here, the beginnings of the Rory and Tristan romance. I just want to remind you all that there will not be graphic detail about their romance; it is not the focus of the story. It is an integral part, yes, but not the main part. There is no Lorelai in this chapter, and that was intentional. You'll see her soon, and see more about how she is coping.

Reviews: You guys are so kind; I really love all of your reviews. I hope you are all still interested in the story. Remember, I want to hear everything that you think of the chapter, constructive criticism is highly appreciated.

Thanks to: princetongirl, tears4chris, OTHlover04, LoVe23, Curley-Q, nemo123489, Jeremy Shane, RuthnMatt, braelyn rae, sweetgirl23, mrmp and kisstommyg.

Loridhhp: You made an interesting suggestion about Tristan calling Rory 'Mary', that is something I will keep in mind. It makes sense, I just hadn't thought of it. Glad you did! I haven't had a chance to look at your story, but I will ASAP!

hughluver23: Yes, Tristan is the guy that Rory kissed at the party. Are you a new viewer? If so, welcome to the Gilmore Girl's world! I'm very flattered by your review, and I hope you continue reading this story.


	11. Chapter 11

**Ch. 11 **

**Saving Grace**

"Idiot!" Rory yelled, sticking her tongue out a driver in a Lexus who had cut her off. Rory growled in annoyance, but then sighed, knowing that her nerves were getting the best of her. Rory had been unable to sleep all night, her mind whirling with the possibilities of what would happen on Saturday. Rory was scared that Tristan would see what he was getting into and decide that he didn't want to be with her anymore. Rory knew that she wouldn't be able to fully commit to Tristan with her life in such uncertainty, and was hoping that Tristan would understand that. "Oy with the poodles already," Rory said exasperatedly. "Get over it, Gilmore! Tristan is not going to bail on you just because of Grandpa." Rory took a deep breath, trying to convince herself of that.

She pulled into the familiar parking deck of Bradley International Hospital, and noticed Tristan's beat up Honda parked next to the concrete wall. She pulled up beside his car and got out, walking over to meet him with a smile on her face.

He got out of his car as well, the door scraping ominously as it swung open, and opened his arms for a hug. Rory walked into his embrace gladly; loving how safe he made her feel. She inhaled his scent, noticing that he smelled like soap and a very faint hint of aftershave. Her temple was pressed against his collarbone, and Rory could feel the faint outline of a chain around his neck. Burrowing her head further into his chest, Rory tilted her head up and smiled. "I'm glad you're here." she said quietly.

"I'm glad too, Mare," Tristan responded with a teasing grin. "You ready to go up?"

Rory rolled her eyes at the use of her outdated nickname, then said "Yeah. You?"

Tristan nodded in agreement, then pulled away from her hug and looped an arm around her shoulder. His arm was causing Rory's bag to dig into her shoulder, but said nothing out of fear to break the silence. They began silently walking towards the entrance of the hospital, both deeply engrossed in their own thoughts.

Rory and Tristan entered through the main entrance and Rory fallowed the familiar tiled lines on the floor. She waved hello to the nurses and got a candy bar from the vending machine, which she popped into her purse, accompanied by a chuckle from Tristan. "Sugar crash much?" he joked.

"Yeah, well, Mr. Med student, we can't all be healthy like you," Rory responded with a bit of tension in her voice, tension that was unalleviated by Tristan's attempt to lighten up her demeanor.

As they approached the open door to Richard's room, Tristan squeezed Rory's hand, but Rory slipped her fingers from his. The quiet pair entered Richard's hospital room. Tristan had known that Richard was in bad shape, but hadn't expected him to look so… dead. Tristan had seen dead people before, due to his medical lab studies, but he was still taken slightly aback because it was somebody he knew. Tristan hovered in the doorway while Rory pulled up two chairs next to her grandfather's bedside. Rory sat in one of them and motioned for Tristan to sit in the other.

Feeling slightly awkward, Tristan watched as Rory took one of Richard's hands.

"Grandpa, you've met him before, but this is Tristan DuGrey. He's become a good friend of mine lately, and I wanted you to know how important he is to me." Rory said shyly, glancing at Tristan from the corner of her eyes.

Tristan smiled, lips stretching tightly against his teeth, and his eyes darted between Richard and Rory. Not knowing whether to talk to Richard or not, he remained quiet.

Rory noticed his silence and the uncomfortable look in his face and began her usual routine of telling Richard about what she's been doing the past few days. While doing this, she was also replacing his flowers, fluffing his pillows and adjusting his blankets. She checked his chart and looked at the whiteboard that the nurses wrote messages on. Once Rory had finished with everything that she needed to do, she sat by her grandfather again.

She didn't talk to Richard this time. Turning to Tristan, she asked, "What's on your mind? You've barely said a word since we got here." Rory questioned, feeling the nerves in her stomach resurface again.

"Nothing important." Tristan reassured her with a side glance. "Just thinking."

"Oh." Rory said, glancing down at her hands. "Well, I'm done. Let's go." she said abruptly.

Slightly confused, Tristan agreed. The pair left the hospital and walked back to the parking deck.

"I guess I'll call you later. Thanks for coming." Rory said quickly, and then hopped in her car. She started the engine, barely waiting for Tristan's response before leaving.

Feeling more confused than ever, Tristan watched her car turn the corner and disappear. Shaking his head and wondering at the complexity that was Rory Gilmore.

Little did he know that after Rory drove for a few miles, she pulled onto the side of the road, stopped her car, and hit her head repeatedly on the steering wheel. "Stupid Rory, stupid! You couldn't possibly have expected him to stick around after seeing that! No wonder he wasn't talking, you scared him! Oh, you stupid girl…" Sighing, Rory started her car again and headed to Stars Hollow, knowing that what she needed was some time away from her grandfather, Tristan and everything else. Most of all, she just needed her mom.

* * *

Hi everyone. I had a bit of difficulty with this chapter, because I couldn't get a good balance of emotions. I really wanted to focus on Rory's emotions, but Rory's emotions were a direct result of Tristan's actions (which I wanted to leave somewhat mysterious). The two seemed to be mutually exclusive, so I had to work around that.

Anyway, there are a few things to note about this chapter. Again, there is no Lorelai (but there will be next chapter-remember, Rory is headed to Stars Hollow!). You'll get a glimpse into Lorelai's psyche; see how she is dealing with everything. Also, was Tristan really backing off, or was he just awkward in the situation? And if he was backing off, why was he doing so? Hmm. Do you think Rory inadvertenly brought this confusion upon herself by pulling away from Tristan? Or do you think it was just nerves? I'd love to see your reactions to these little questions!

Huge thanks to reviews! Many of you make excellent, inquisitive reviews, which I really love. Keep it up, I love that you're all thinking about this story, not just mindlessly reading (which I admit I do, quite a bit!). Thanks to: jaja983, Braelyn Rae, HSMZanessafan4life, hughlover33, LoVe23, Jeremy Shane, princetongirl, and Curley-Q.

Loridhhp: I think that you might just be right with Rory having ulterior motives. Question is... are they subconscious or not? Good for you for picking up on that. And you're totally right about Lorelai, and that'll happen eventually.

Also, thanks to those that added me as a favorite or story alert. Sometimes, unspoken 'reviews' like that are the best!


	12. Chapter 12

**Ch. 12  
Saving Grace**

As Rory was pulling back onto the road, Rory phoned her mother to let her know that she was coming. She called the house first, but when there was no answer, she called Lorelai's cell phone. A harried sounding Lorelai had answered, shouting over lots of background noise.

"Hey mom. Is it a bad time? I can call later," Rory questioned.

"Um, well, yeah it is a bad time, actually. But don't hang up, I need to hear a voice of sanity and calmness, please," Lorelai begged.

"Where are you?" Rory asked, listening to the crazy noises in the background.

"The Inn. There's a few things going on. There's a golf tournament over in Hartford, so all of these hoity toity men- " Lorelai's sentence was accompanied by a crash and an expletive. "Ouch," Lorelai groaned. "That hurt a bit."

"What happened?" Rory exclaimed, a wrinkle of worry appearing in her forehead.

"One of the golfers left his bag at the desk for the bellhop to bring up, and I totally tripped over it," Lorelai complained.

Rory stifled a giggle, knowing that now was not the time to mock her mother.

"Yeah, yeah," Lorelai grumbled. "Laugh it up,"

Rory did, and got her giggles out before responding. "Oh, hold on a sec," Rory quickly said. Rory dropped her phone into her lap and flipped her turn signal on. She waved at a cop who was parked around the corner of the exit ramp, then kept driving. When she was out of sight of the highway patrolman, she picked up her cell again. "Sorry, there was a cop. Cops and cell phones are not a good combo," Rory chuckled.

"Yeah," Lorelai agreed. "For sure. Like they don't use their little walkie talkies on the road? Pssh. They're a hazard to my safety. They should pay me!"

"Okay, Mom. I'm sure they'll go right along with that plan."

"Anyways, dearest, what's the reason for calling? Not that I don't want to talk to you, you know I do, but I'm kinda swamped." Lorelai explained.

"Oh, I was just on the way back from visiting Grandpa. I took Tristan along and he kinda freaked. I just needed to get away from everything…maybe I could crash with you and Luke for a while?" Rory asked.

"Sure, babe! But, don't blame me if Luke's crabby because you're cramping our style." Lorelai teased.

Rory groaned. "Too much info, Mom. Honestly. Anyway, I'll be in Stars Hollow in a few minutes, I'll just head to the house."

"Yeah, just make yourself comfortable. I'll be home for dinner, we can watch a movie while we're eating. Sound good? Luke's closing tonight anyway."

"Okay, see you then! And watch out for those golf bags," Rory teased.

"Ooh, better watch out, kid. I will disown you, you know." Lorelai grumbled.

"Bye!" Rory said cheerfully, while pulling into Stars Hollow.

As Rory drove past the Town Square, she saw Doose's Market and decided to stop in for some junk food for dinner tonight. Knowing Lorelai, the freezer was probably already packed with Bagel Bites and ice cream, but Rory was craving some Rocky Road. Pulling up alongside the market, Rory rolled her eyes at the ribbon-decorated parking meter. She went into Doose's, waved hello to Taylor, then called Lane. "Hey!" Rory exclaimed when Lane picked up the phone.

"Hey you!" Lane said. "Zack! Stop, you can't give that to a baby!" Lane yelled.

Rory winced, holding her cell phone farther away from her ear.

"Sorry," Lane apologized. "Zack was going to give the babies some coins to play with. Knowing him, he never thought that babies plus shiny things that fit down their throats is not a good idea," she giggled.

Rory smiled, glad that her friend was so happy. "How are you?" Rory asked. "Other than the shiny object incidents, I mean."

"I'm good. Tired and stressed, but in a really good way." Lane said truthfully.

"Well, how about I meet you at your place and I steal you away for a walk around the town? I'm at Doose's now, so I can pick up some snacks and we can hang out at the lake for an hour or so, maybe." Rory suggested.

"Ah, sounds great!" Lane squealed. "I love my boys, but I am so ready for some girl time!"

Rory laughed. "Okay, I'll pay and be there in a few minutes."

"See you then!"

Rory shook her head in amusement. Lane might be a wife and a mom now, but she was still the bubbly and excitable friend she had always been. _I guess some things never change, _Rory thought with a smile.

Ten minutes later, Rory and Lane were sitting on the bridge across the lake. Lane sighed luxuriously. "Man, I love Zack and the kids, but there is never a moment's peace."

"How are they?" Rory questioned.

"Oh, they're good. I can't believe how big the boys are getting already. It's tough sometimes, I admit that much. I envy the parents that make it look so easy." Lane said.

"And how are you holding up? Are you eating well? Sleeping enough?" Rory questioned.

"Yes, Mother," Lane teased.

"Hey, I am just looking out for the best interests of the mother of my godchildren!" Rory defends.

"Oh, nice. So I'm not your best friend anymore, just the mother of your godsons." Lane snorted.

Rory laughed, enjoying the familiar rapport that she and Lane still shared.

"So what's been going on with you?" Lane asked as she ripped open a bag of Cheetos.

Rory helped herself to a handful before answering. "Well, I've been busy visiting Grandpa at the hospital and stuff." She said quietly.

Lane nodded in acquiescence.

"Other than that, I've just kind of been drifting. I've written a couple freelance pieces for the E Zine that put me on the Obama trail, but nothing major. Just little pieces." Rory said, now popping M&Ms one by one into her mouth.

"Well, a little work is better than no work at all." Lane agreed.

"Oh. I can't believe I haven't told you, but guess who I ran into the other day?"

Lane mumbled "I don't know, who?" around the Tootsie Roll in her mouth.

"Tristan DuGrey!" Rory answered, awaiting the excited response she knew she would get.

Lane's eyes opened wide, and she hastily swallowed her Tootsie Roll. "No way!" she gasped. "Bible Boy?"

"Mmhmm." Rory hummed.

"Tell me everything!" Lane exclaimed.

Rory smiled and began the whole story, and for the rest of the afternoon, the two old friends laughed, talked, and gossiped about their lives and about the recent happenings in Stars Hollow.

* * *

Rory and Lorelai finally got to hang out the next day, as Lorelai had to stay at the Inn the night before. One of the golfers had choked on the themed phone that Sookie had provided, and was threatening to sue. Lorelai stayed over at the Inn, trying to calm down the man and his wife, and convincing them not to sue. The next day, Rory and Lorelai met at Luke's Diner for a late afternoon lunch. Rory ordered a tuna melt with chili fries, and Lorelai had a cheeseburger and pie. Both drank coffee, naturally.

Rory told Lorelai about her afternoon with Lane yesterday, giving Lorelai a brief recap of what they talked about. When Rory got to the part about Tristan, Lorelai interrupted her. "Oh yeah! How did the hospital visit go?" she questioned. "I live vicariously through you, Rory! I need details!"

Rory rolled her eyes at her mother's antics. "Well, it went okay, I guess. He didn't get upset or mad or anything, but he was so quiet the whole time. I think it really freaked him out. I don't think Tristan knew what he was getting into when he got involved with me." Rory admitted, pushing her chili fries around her plate, no longer hungry.

Lorelai stared with a pitying look on her face at her visibly upset daughter. "Aw, kid, I'm sorry. Maybe he just needs some time to think, maybe he was just caught off guard."

"I guess," Rory muttered. "But it's not like he just stopped calling. I mean, it's hard to explain." she stopped. "It's not like he said he didn't want to see me anymore. I just noticed how he was acting, and I haven't called him since. I assumed that he wasn't interested anymore," she answered truthfully.

"Well, you know what they say when people assume things." Lorelai said.

"That they shouldn't?" Rory asked.

Lorelai took in a deep breath, reminded of a similar conversation with a different Gilmore woman. Lorelai shook her head and focused on her daughter. "That too. But maybe you should call him. He's probably really confused, guys aren't generally known for being intuitive about the opposite sex."

"That's true," Rory noted with a wry grin. "Very true."

"Just give him a chance, okay Ror? He really likes you, and he's been good to you." Lorelai said softly.

Rory nodded. "Maybe I'll call him later." she said quietly.

They sat for a moment, both drinking coffee from their Luke's mugs. "And what about you, Missy?" Rory questioned. "What's going on in your life?"

"Not too much. I've been busy with the Inn, visiting Dad, and Luke. Oh, did I tell you?" Lorelai questioned with a happy look.

"Obviously not," Rory teased her mother.

"Well, Luke and I planned a weekend in New York City for the two of us, and April. We're going in a couple weeks. I think we'll hit up some stores and do some shopping, go to the Museum of Natural History, and maybe see a show." Lorelai said excitedly. "I'm looking forward to it. It's been a long time since I've seen April, and I'm thrilled that Anna is finally letting me near her."

"That is so great, Mom! You're going to have so much fun. You'll have to introduce Luke to the New York City food… meaning hot dogs, pretzels, roasted chestnuts… the works!" Rory giggled.

"Fat chance!" Lorelai snorted. "But I'll do my best. I'll use my womanly wiles to get my way."

"Ew, Mom! Again, too much info! Boundaries, woman," Rory complained.

Even though Rory complained, Rory was thrilled to notice the familiar sparkle back in her mother's eyes. Lorelai had been much more subdued and less playful since the accident. Talking about this trip had put a hint of Lorelai's usual energy back into her face, and Rory couldn't be happier.

She just hoped it lasted.

* * *

Hi everyone! Another update, can you believe it? We're getting there.. I estimate this story to have about 23 chapters, including the epilogue (which I might decide against later). We're almost at the halfway mark, how exciting is that??

This chapter was mostly filler, but there were a few important things that come into play later. Such as: Why was Lorelai really so frazzled when Rory called? Also, what about: Lorelai, Luke, and April's trip to NYC. Why is Lorelai so excited, other than the fact that she gets to see April, hmm? Just a little hint for Chapter 14! We got to see how Lane is, which is important but also really fun! Here's another question to ponder: was that last sentence foreshadowing? Yeah, yeah, go back and read it.

Anyway, thanks to: Braelyn Rae (don't apologize for not reviewing earlier! It's my job to apologize for not updating earlier, silly!), Loridhhp (get ready for some ulterior motives in the upcoming chapters), LoVe23, OTHlover04, Jeremy Shane, Curley-Q, and Gothic SorceressRikku15.

Just a note: 100 REVIEWS! Thank you all so much, this is great. I love that there are loyal reviewers and that there are new reviewers- it's such a good mix of comments. As always, if you choose to review, please be constructive and honest!


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13 **

**Saving Grace**

Rory spent the night at her childhood home, immeasurably comforted by its familiar sights and sounds. She slept late the next morning, but awaked to a plate of pancakes and sausage that was keeping warm in the microwave. A note from Luke indicated that he hoped she enjoyed the pancakes, but to please eat some strawberries and drink some milk. Rory just chuckled and poured herself a huge mug of strong coffee.

Rory lazed around the house for a good portion of the day, taking a leisurely shower and dressing in comfortable clothes. She visited Lorelai at the Inn, ate a delicious lunch prepared by Sookie, then had just a few more cups of coffee.

As Rory was walking home, she passed the small book store that she had so frequently been a customer in. She smiled, thinking of all the times that Lorelai had called Andrew and asked him to send Rory home. Two young boys climbing all over the gazbeo reminded Rory of when she and Lane used to run around the gazebo until they fell down from dizziness.

Rory was jerked from her reminiscences when she heard the sound of a very loud argument further down the street. Rory frowned and glanced toward the source of all the commotion. Luke and Taylor were standing on the sidewalk, Luke yelling furiously and Taylor shaking his head. Rory chuckled before turning the corner- '_some things never change'_, she mused.

But some do, Rory realized. And something needs to change, Rory thought, thinking about her situation with Tristan. "Ugh," she groaned. "Stop wallowing in the past. You can't go back, and you can't stay like this any longer. Get a _grip_!"

Rory sped up her pace and hurried to the house, finally arriving home. She opened the door and threw herself onto the couch. Wiggling her cell phone out of her jeans pocket, Rory made herself comfortable on the couch by hanging one leg over the top and the other curled under her. She propped her head on the arm of the couch while scanning her contact list for Tristan's number, then pressed send.

She heard the dial tone and then a ring, but before the second ring, Rory snapped her phone shut. "Shoot," Rory grumbled. "I'm too much of a wuss to even call him." She stared up at the ceiling and searched for the familiar water stain mark in the shape of a duck. Finding the duck, Rory stared at it. "What should I do, Sir Quackington?" she asked. "To call or not to call?"

The duck didn't reply, obviously, and Rory realized that she was being absolutely ridiculous. "That's it! This entire stupid thing is driving me insane, and I can't deal with this anymore!" she exclaimed.

Vaulting to her feet, Rory gracefully tripped over the coffee table. "Ouch," Rory groaned, the sound muffled by her cheek pressed against the hardwood floor. "That hurt."

She pulled herself to her feet, then grabbed her purse from the table by the front door. "Take two," she muttered exasperatedly.

Rory walked out to her Prius and slid in, already planning what she was going to say.

The ride to Tristan's apartment took about an hour and a half, thanks to a bad accident on the highway. Rory pulled her car into the same spot she had parked in the first time she went to Tristan's apartment. _Why is this spot always open?_ Rory wondered. _Nevermind. I probably don't want to know_, she concluded with a glance at the dodgy looking group huddled near the building. She checked that her car doors were locked before walking into the apartment building, surprised when a glance at her phone revealed that it was almost six forty five.

"Oh," she said suddenly. _What if he has a class?_ She thought with a tinge of panic. "Well, never mind." She answered herself. She finally reached Tristan's front door, knocked, then waited for a response. Sighing in disappointment, she impatiently knocked again. Hearing nothing inside, Rory called Tristan's cell phone.

This time, she waited for it to ring and was surprised when she heard the phone ringing from inside his apartment. She abruptly hung up. He _must really not want to talk to me_, she thought with dismay. Biting her lip, Rory turned to go, but was stopped by the sound of his door being pulled open.

"Hey!" Tristan said sheepishly. "Sorry I didn't come to the door. We usually don't answer it unless we're expecting someone… I mean, why risk opening the door to a lunatic and damaging this beautiful face?" he joked.

Rory smiled, thrilled by his return to normal behavior.

"Anyway, I assume that you want to come in?" he asked. "Mary?"

Rory rolled her eyes and cocked her head in an annoyed fashion but then smiled and said "Yeah. I actually needed to talk to you," she explained.

Nervous, Rory began to babble. "I was on the highway, and it took so long! There was this really awful accident, apparently. It blocked up two lanes on both sides. I don't know how anybody could have survived that." she shivered.

"Yeah, I heard. I was supposed to have class, but my professor was called to work on one of the victims. He works for Hartford Memorial occasionally, teaches, and also operates on some private patients. I was kind of disappointed that class was cancelled- Dr. Ortez is one of the best neurosurgeons in the US."

"Oh," Rory said, subconsciously storing this information away.

They were quiet for a moment, still standing in the doorway, silent now that the initial nervous chatter had died out.

"Oh yeah," Rory said. "I wanted to talk with you."

"Jeez, I'm getting the break- up talk and we're not even dating," he grumbled before opening the door further and stepping inside. He closed and locked the door after her, heading over to the small and dingy couch in his and Jason's living room.

"No break- up talk," Rory assured. "I just wanted to make sure that we're-" she gestured at the space between them, "Okay. You know?"

Tristan started, then sighed. "Yeah, I know. Things were kind of weird at the hospital, huh?"

"Understatement," Rory smiled. "And it was my fault."

"No, I was being weird too. It just kind of freaked me out, you know?" he asked, glancing at the ground.

"I know. I'm sorry, I knew it was too much to dump on you. We just became friends a little while ago, and suddenly I'm bringing you to meet my comatose grandfather. I'd be freaked in your position too!" Rory exclaimed. "And I'm really sorry about that." she said softly.

Tristan laughed, falling back onto the couch.

Rory crossed her arms in a defensive motion. "What?" she questioned with an undertone of hurt in her voice.

Tristan shook his head in amusement. "Come sit," he said. "You look like you need a break."

"No, you need a break." Rory said with a frown, taking a closer look at him and the area around the couch. Tristan was wearing raggedy sweats with a faded and peeling band t-shirt, hardly his usual style. He was sporting a five o'clock shadow, he had dark bags under his eyes, and there were lines of fatigue in his forehead. Rory felt a pang in her heart as she glanced at the coffee table and saw a stale peanut butter sandwich and a mug of coffee.

"Is that your dinner?" she asked in disbelief.

"Well, actually, no," he responded. "That was lunch, I haven't gotten around to dinner yet."

"Tristan, it's nearly seven!" she exclaimed. "At the risk of sounding like my grandmother-"

Tristan's shifted uncomfortably, and Rory caught her breath and squeezed her eyes shut before continuing. "You need to eat," she said. "I'm a fan of food, for sure."

"I know," he laughed.

Rory glared at him, insulted he wasn't taking her concern seriously.

"Sorry," he said, sending another sheepish smile in her direction.

Rory's heart melted as he continued. "It's just that I'm having a really tough time with one of my classes, and I'm barely passing. If I don't pass, I lose my scholarship, and everything I've worked for goes out the window."

Rory closed her eyes. "God, I'm so sorry!" she moaned. "I come here, all pissy with you, and you're working so hard! I'm sorry," she repeated. "I'll leave, if you want to study." she offered.

"Nah, but thanks, Mary. I needed a break anyway. And seriously, sit!"

Rory acquiesced to his request, dropping her purse by the arm of the couch and slipping off her coat and shoes.

"Now that's a sight I like to see," Tristan teased.

"Yeah, wish I could return the favor," Rory shot back.

"Ouch, Gilmore," he laughed. "Anyway, what were we talking about?"

Rory cleared her mind, head still fuzzy from his disarming smile. "Um," she stalled. "Oh, you were about to tell me why you spaced at the hospital." she said quietly.

"Right, right," agreed. He was quiet for a moment, and then said, "Well, it's just that- I mean, I'm in med school. To be a doctor, obviously. I'm not sure exactly what kind, but I've been working my ass off."

Rory nodded, unsure as to where the conversation was leading.

"And part of my studies is a med lab, where we look at cadavers and study them," he continued. "I've seen dead bodies before, Rory, but when I saw your grandfather lying there…" he trailed off.

Rory ducked her head, understanding finally clicking in her head. "Oh." she said.

"Yeah," Tristan agreed. "It just freaked me out. This time, it wasn't someone random. It was someone I knew-know. I respect Richard, always have. I wasn't expecting him to look like the people in my classes. I guess I didn't really get that it was_ real_ until I saw him lying there."

Rory laid her head against his shoulder, hoping that her small gesture would comfort him. "I know," she whispered. Her heart was constricting with pain, but was filling at the same time with sympathy and gratitude for her friend.

Tristan wove his fingers within her, creating a link of comfort and reassurance for both of them. "I'm sorry I wigged out." he said.

"I'm sorry too. I was so worried that you were going to get scared and not want to hang out with me anymore, so I started pulling away before you had the chance." Rory said, not daring to meet his eyes.

"Hmm, that sounds familiar." Tristan said. "A bit like me in Chilton, huh?"

"A bit," Rory laughed. "You comparing me to a high school girl?"

"You certainly don't look like one," he grinned lasciviously.

Rory groaned, hitting his shoulder and sitting up. "Anyway," she said. "I should go."

At that exact moment, the front door burst open and Jason came stumbling in with a small, petite blonde girl close behind him. He muttered in her ear, kissed her on the cheek, and then she bounced and giggled past Tristan and Rory, into Jason's room. Rory stared, then smiled weakly at Jason. "Hi," she laughed.

"Hey, Rory." he responded. "Tristan, man- you'll, uh, stay out of the way for a while, right?" he asked. "I really like this girl."

"Yeah, sure," Tristan agreed with a good natured grin.

"Thanks, man!" Jason called, already on the way to his room.

"Gross," Tristan grumbled over the sounds of Jason's door slamming and a shriek of excitement from his friend.

"I'll take that as my cue to leave." Rory grinned.

"Yeah, and I'm going to sit in the hallway and study."

Rory glanced at him with a querying look. "Does this happen often?"

"Not recently," Tristan admitted. "But it's our deal, it's what we do. I don't mind hanging in the hallway for an hour or so. I can study, whatever… it's good for him and good for my sanity." Tristan explained. "Want me to walk you out?" he asked politely, glancing around for his sneakers.

"No thanks." Rory said. "I'm a big girl, I can handle it." She smiled, her breath catching when Tristan leaned in.

He pressed a soft kiss to her cheek, then reached over her shoulder to unhook the deadbolt. "See you soon."

Rory lifted a hand in response before disappearing through the elevator door.

She walked down the sets of stairs, relishing the shock of cold air against her skin as she stepped outside. The same group of guys were still lounging against the side of the building as she made her way to her car. She waved hello tentatively, and was shocked when two of the loungers waved back.

Still in shock, Rory unlocked her car and got it. She dropped her purse on the passenger seat before rummaging for her phone. She dialed 411, then asked for a number.

She thanked the operator, then waited as she was connected.

"Antonio's," said a disembodied, bored voice.

"Hi," Rory said cheerfully. "Can you deliver an extra large, plain pizza to 635 Delarose Ave, in downtown Hartford? Apartment 3B?"

"Delarose?"

"Yep, Delarose."

"Can you spell that?"

Rory blinked in surprise. "I guess so. Okay, uh, D-E-L-A-R-O-S-E". Rory confirmed. "Oh, and can I pay for it with credit card?"

"I guess so," the employee said. "Most people just pay cash when the delivery gets there."

"Yes, I know." Rory responded dryly. "Oh, and can you give the guy a message for me?" Rory asked.

"Look, lady," he said. "I know that area, and I ain't giving nobody no message. We're a pizza place, not a front for hitmen." he grumped. "Why does this always happen on my shift?"

Rory was stunned into silence. "Okay, nevermind then." she said quickly. "Just deliver the pizza. The credit card number is 115487…"

* * *

Thirty five minutes later, a delivery boy climbed the last set of stairs onto the third floor. "She coulda warned us," he grumbled.

Tristan looked up in confusion. "I didn't order that," he said as the man approached him with the steaming cardboard box.

"This 635 Delarose, Apartment 3B?" he asked.

"Yeah," Tristan answered.

"Then you ordered it," the man responded as he set the pizza down on top of one of Tristan's textbooks.

"No, I didn't." Tristan said, now annoyed because there was a stain on his textbook. "I didn't pay for it."

"Some chick called in and paid." The man said, not waiting for a response before tossing the receipt at Tristan before leaving through the stairwell.

"Oh," Tristan said, grinning down at the pizza. "Well, thanks very much, then." He spoke to the empty hallway. _I knew I liked that girl for a reason… _

* * *

Hey, kids! I know what you're saying- 'she must have SOME nerve, waiting THIS LONG to post an update!' Sorry, I really am. I won't go into too much detail, but my mother had a health crisis. For anyone that has been in a similar situation, you know that it's like the entire world stops. I took a leave of absence, went home, and kept things running smoothly while she was recovering.

We saw several important things in this chapter, hope you picked up on them! Why did Tristan talk so much about his professor, hmm? And why was Rory paying such close attention? Why is Lorelai working so much, and why haven't we seen much of Luke except for the occasional mention (like the pancake note)? Let me know what you guys are thinking…

**As always, thank you all for your great comments. Also as always: if you choose to review, be honest and constructive!**

Thanks to:

**ChasingAfterADream** (Thanks for being a 'loyal follower'- I hope I don't let you down), **Braelyn Rae** (That's part of the reason that Lorelai is excited about NYC- good call on that, but there's more. Thanks, I always feel like I have trouble with the 'Gilmoreisms'- I'm a much quieter, reserved person, so it's difficult for me), **imcck** (Thanks, and yes, I'm enjoying Tristan's personality), **Kemowitch92 **(Thanks!), **Hughluver33 **(Thanks, writing dialogue/personality in the Gilmore world is always tricky), **Loridhhp **(Yes, Lorelai's craziness is definitely her desperate need to keep things normal. Awesome call, and very insightful, but there's more!. Do you mind elaborating on 'asking Tristan's opinion'? If you're thinking what I think you're thinking, you are SO completely on the right track. As always, thanks, and I look forward to your reviews!), **LoVe23 **(Thank you!), **Curley-Q **(Thank you!), **GothicSorceressRikku15 **(I have to admit, I couldn't understand your review. 'Golfer choking on a phone'? I had no idea what you were talking about, so I went back and read the chapter. Make that 'phone' a 'food', and it'll make a little more sense.. that was a very bad typo on my part!), **Jeremy Shane **(Thank you!).


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 13 **

**Saving Grace **

Rory was awakened in the early morning by the sound of quiet chirping. She furrowed her brow, but then realized that her Blackberry was sitting on the nighttable next to her bed. She flopped over in bed and scrambled to grab the phone before she missed the call. She looked at the screen.

_Tristan _

She smiled and accepted the call. "Good morning," she said cheerfully.

"Hey! How are you?" he questioned.

"Pretty good, actually. Had a good night's sleep- no bad dreams, just me and Orlando Bloom." Rory said in a suggestive voice.

"I thought it was Johnny Depp, no? Anyway, I just wanted to call and say good morning… so, good morning."

"Good morning." Rory answered quietly, a smile creeping across her face.

"Alright, well, I've got to go. One of my professors has her office hours this morning, so I wanted to stop in to talk about an assignment." Tristan said absentmindedly.

"Aww, look at my conscientious little student!" Rory cooed teasingly.

"Yeah, yeah." Tristan grumbled. "By the way, do you happen to know where the remote is for the TV? I can't find it anywhere, and being the supremely lazy being that I am, I'm getting sick of walking up to the TV to change the channel every time."

"Wow, that is pretty lazy!" Rory laughed. "I guess I'm contagious." Thinking back to the past day when she had visited Tristan, she said "Did you check the kitchen drawer, next to the refrigerator?"

There was a silence. "No. Why would the remote be in the kitchen?"

"Because I wanted a snack and didn't want to lose the remote, duh." Rory said.

"But it IS lost!" Tristan replied.

"Only because I forgot to put it back." Rory grinned into the phone.

"Okay, I see it. Thanks. Alright, I seriously have to go now. I'll talk to you later."

"See you soon." Rory said quietly before ending the call. She leaned back against the headboard of her bed, and stared around at the room that was so unlike her. She smiled, thinking of all the work that her grandmother had put into this room. Even though Emily was dead, and Rory was finally coming to terms with that, Rory just hadn't had the heart to change the room that Emily had designed for her.

That phone call was just one of the many that she and Tristan had shared over the past two weeks. They had quickly and easily slipped into the habit of talking on the phone constantly, even if it was about random things. A few days ago, Rory had called Tristan and sent him a picture of a cloud that looked like male genitalia. Tristan hadn't appreciated that too much- said that he felt inferior. Naturally, Rory also forwarded the picture to Lorelai- and, of course, Lorelai DID appreciate it.

Rory and Tristan talked more on the phone than they actually saw each other. Rory had gone over to Tristan's the day before, but only for a quick dinner. Rory had quickly realized that being friends with a med student was different than being friends with, say, an interior design major. Tristan refused to skip class, had barely enough money to eat, went to sleep every night at ten, and studied for at least two hours every day.

Rory yawned, and decided to finally get out of bed. She looked at her Blackberry, and realized that she had been lounging in bed for ten minutes- ever since she hung up the phone. She swung her legs out of bed, remembering that she had a lot of tasks for the day that she wanted to accomplish.

She showered, applied very light makeup, and then got dressed in an old pair of jeans, flats, and a short sleeved sweater. She tossed her Blackberry, notebook, four pens, highlighters, and a library card into her purse. Twirling her keys around her index finger, she set off for Bradley International.

On the way in, she smiled at all of the staff and greeted the nurses on Richard's floor. As was her custom, she checked the whiteboard in his room to see if the nurses had made note of any changes, and as usual, was disappointed. She sat by his bedside for a few minutes, just talking quietly.

"Hey Grandpa. I think Mom's coming up to visit you later today, but I'm not sure. She's been working an awfully lot lately, and I've barely even spoke to her in the past few days. I haven't been home in a week or so, and I'm kind of missing her. Mom, Luke, Lane… even Kirk. You remember Tristan, right? He came to visit you that one time. Well, we're good friends now. Actually, I don't _really _know what we are. It's like, we're friends, but there's something _more_, and oh my god, I am talking about my sex life with my grandfather! Not that there IS a sex life. Never mind." Rory sighed. "Well, it's not like you can hear me anyway." she said flatly. "Listen, I'm going to go and see if I can find your doctor. I'll visit you again soon, okay? I love you." She stood up, then pressed a quick kiss on his dry, papery cheek. She stayed there for a minute, missing the comforting smell that she associated with Richard. These days, he just smelled old. And sick. And sterile.

It pained Rory to think about, so she quickly and quietly exited the room. She crossed the quiet hallway to the Nurses Station, and greeted the nurse on duty. "Hey, Brenda. How are the kids?"

"They're okay. Shawn just broke a swimming record for his school." The mother of four said with a smile.

"That's awesome!" Rory said genuinely. "You must be proud."

"Of course. All moms are proud of their kids, aren't they?"

"Yeah, I think so." Rory said. "Anyway, I was wondering if it was possible for me to talk with Dr. Connors. I don't think it will take two long, but I want to discuss something with him."

"Sure, I'll page him." Brenda said easily. She picked up the standard-issue gray office phone, then pressed a few buttons. "Dr. Connors, this is Brenda Marsh. Rory Gilmore is here, and wants to talk to you." She listened for a moment. She put her hand over the phone and said, "Is it an emergency?"

Rory creased her brow. "No, but it's important. I need to talk to him."

Brenda relayed the message, then hung up the phone after listening for a short moment. "He said to go right in to his private office- it's straight down this hallway, third door on the left, after the bathrooms."

Rory glanced down the hall. "Thanks, Brenda." She walked down the hall, barely registering Brenda's call of 'goodbye'. She clutched her fingers tightly around the straps of her purse, fingernails most likely making indentations in the soft leather. She arrived at the door, took a deep breath, then knocked.

She heard a faint "Come in", so she opened the door and smiled tentatively at the kindly doctor sitting at his desk. "Hi, Doctor Connors." Rory said. "How are you?"

"Fine, thank you, Rory. Why don't you have a seat?" he replied comfortably.

Rory chose the seat farthest from his desk, subconsciously trying to block herself from the conversation that they were about to have.

"So Rory, how are you? What have you been doing lately?" the doctor asked.

"Well, I've moved full time into my grandparents-" she stopped abruptly, before continuing. "My grandfather's home." She squirmed, then smiled. "My grandmother would have had a fit if the maid wasn't being supervised."

Doctor Connors nodded. "Yes, my wife would behave in the same way."

Rory smiled tightly, appreciating his attempt to put her at ease. She was silent, uncomfortable with the way that Doctor Connors was scrutinizing her. She glanced around the office, trying to delay the conversation.

"Rory, why don't we discuss the real reason that you're here? I doubt that you're looking for an update, as the nurses usually handle those. Anyway, there isn't anything to update you on." the doctor said gently.

"Yes, I _know _there aren't any updates." Rory snapped, then closed her eyes. "I'm sorry, that was uncalled for."

Doctor Connors inclined his head, then motioned for her to continue.

"It's just that, well, time is going by and nothing has changed. I know you said that in a few months, you could operate again, but that it might not change anything."

Rory twisted her fingers tightly around her purse's strap.

"I want to be prepared for after the second surgery- if things don't change. I don't think that I could ever terminate the life support, but I want to consider placing him in a care facility."

Doctor Connors was silent for a moment. "Why don't I give you a list of names to look at? There are a few good facilities here in Hartford, and even more in Connecticut. It's a good option for those that don't want to terminate life support, but don't want their relative to remain in the hospital."

He pushed away from his desk and walked over to a wooden filing cabinet. He fumbled through the first drawer, flipping past file after file. He finally pulled one out, then sat back at his desk. He slid a piece of paper over to Rory.

"These are, in my opinion, the best care facilities in Connecticut. They are all slightly different- some are palliative care, some deal specifically with those on life support, and some are just temporary. They are all equipped to deal with brain-dead patients, but some are slightly more specialized. Those are marked with a star next to them."

Rory glanced down at the sheet, surprised by the list of names. However, there were only about six names with stars. "Thank you, Doctor Connor. Every time that I tried to do research on my own, I just had no idea what to look for."

Doctor Connors smiled in response. "Now, am I right in thinking that you want us to operate on Richard again?"

"Yes." Rory confirmed. "Naturally, it's not a set decision, especially because it couldn't happen for another few weeks, correct?" she questioned.

"Correct. Now, I hope you remember what I told you about the surgery. It is a lengthy surgery, because we would be removing the dead part of the brain. The theory is that if the dead part is removed, that the healthy part can begin to function again, if only minimally. In Richard's case, I am not sure how much brain tissue we would remove."

He glanced at Rory, who was taking furious notes on her notepad. "Rory? Are you with me?"

"Yes, of course. I'm just taking some notes." she replied.

He continued. "Like I said, in Richard's case, the problem isn't that there isn't any _healthy _tissue- the problem is that the dead tissue is the important parts, the ones that control basic life functions. If we were to accidentally remove too much, or too little, he could emerge from surgery even worse than he went in."

He paused for a moment. "Do you understand that?"

"Yes." Rory said angrily. "I'm not stupid, I know what the risks are."

Doctor Connors regarded her silently. "I realize that. I am just trying to give you an informed opinion. Honestly, I do not think that Richard would benefit from surgery. I think that he would emerge even worse, or dead. I think it would be in his best interest- and yours- to opt out of surgery."

Rory sat, dumbfounded. "But- you're his doctor! Don't you _have _to do the surgery, if there is even a _chance_ that he would get better?" in a frustrated tone.

"No, Rory, I do _not_. I am his doctor, not a miracle worker. If I do not feel comfortable performing the surgery, or think that the outcome will not be favorable, I do not have to perform surgery. You are welcome, of course, to a second opinion, but I suspect that they would tell you the same thing." Doctor Connors answered in a level, calm voice.

"Damn right, I'm getting a second opinion!" Rory said, voice shaking. She shoved her notes into her bag, then stood up. "You said at the beginning of this whole thing that you would operate, and that he might get better. And you're going back on that! You're supposed to make your patients better, not just… god, I don't even know." Her anger evaporated quickly, and she sat back down heavily.

"I'm sorry, again. It's just…" Rory trailed off, staring at a spot on the wall. "It's hard to think that nothing will make him better. I came in here today to get names of care facilities, because I thought that after the surgery, he would just… live there, and get better. I never considered it as a permanent option- more as, like, a rehab, I guess."

She continued to stare at the spot on the wall, the tears in her eyes blurring it until it was indistinguishable. She took a deep breath, and dug in her purse for tissues. She wiped her eyes, carefully rubbing off the smudged mascara. Her hands tightened on her purse.

"You really don't think that he's going to get better after surgery?" she whispered.

Doctor Connors watched her solemnly. "No, I do not."

She nodded in resignation. "It's not worth putting him through that… if it's only going to get worse. The only thing to do now is to make him comfortable, isn't it?" Rory asked.

"I'm afraid so," he said gently. "Unfortunately, these things happen. And I know that it's hard, but there are still options. He might not be the same person that you knew, but he's still here, and he deserves to be comfortable."

Rory nodded in agreement. "Yes, I agree with the fact that he should be comfortable. I definitely do. But doesn't he deserve every attempt to save him?"

"That's a tricky question, because you have to weigh what is more important- that you put him through surgery for a chance of saving him, or giving him the best long-term care?"

"I _want_ him to have good care. I do. And _if_ the surgery doesn't work, then he'll have the best care, no questions asked. I can't just give up on him." Rory said quietly, but intensely. "It feels like you already have. And I'm sorry, but I am going to get a second opinion, and then ask that doctor to perform the surgery."

Doctor Connor's lips thinned into a tight line. "That is your right. I will be happy to give the doctor all of my notes, and of course, my professional opinion. But I must warn you that most doctors _will not _operate on Richard. You will need to find a high-profile doctor, one that has a history of performing risky operations."

"Yes, I'm aware of that." Rory said coolly. "Thank you for your time, Doctor Connors. Please, believe me in that this is nothing personal. I just can't give up yet."

With a handshake and a smile, Rory left the room. As soon as she got in the car, she pressed speed dial. "Hey! Listen, I need to talk to you…"

* * *

Hi everyone! First off, thank you for your kind thoughts about my mom. Yes, she is on the fast track to recovery, and doing better every day! :-)

This was (I think) one of the longest chapters yet. We're really starting to get into some drama here! A plot point will be revealed soon, the pace will start picking up, and things are going to get nasty! I hope you noticed that Lorelai _was not_ in the office with Rory. I also hope you noticed that Rory seems to be taking the lead on Richard's situation- Lorelai visits, but doesn't really make any of the decisions. Will Lorelai be okay with the sudden change in doctors, Rory's decision about surgery, etc.? Also, who do you think Rory called- Lorelai, Tristan, Lane, Paris, Luke? Some of you have definitely picked up on what she is doing (i.e, Tristan, Professor), but is she doing it unconsciously or consciously? Anyway, like always, please let me know ALL of your thoughts, suggestions, ideas, or something that you would like to see happen!

SO MANY THANKS TO:

**GirlWithoutAName **(The whole pizza bit was inspired by true life ), **Angelscovegirl **(The pizza thing was definitely sweet. Thanks for reviewing!), **Braelyn Rae** (Big hugs, thanks for your concern about my mom. She is doing better, thank you. And thanks for reviewing), **ChasingAfterADream** (Thank you, characterization of Tristan varies so widely in the Gilmore Girls world that I wasn't sure my 'version' of him would be well received.), **Jeremy Shane** (Thanks!), **Curley-Q** (She is getting better, thanks for your kind thoughts, and of course, your review.), **JeffHardyFan31** (Thanks so much! I'm assuming your username refers to wrestling?), **LoVe23 **(Thanks, and yes, you're spot on. Hope you enjoyed this!), **Loridhhp** (You have it SO completely right.. and that's all I'm going to say! Thanks so much, as always!)

**PS. I am hoping to get another chapter done, and update again tonight, so wish me luck!**


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15 **

**Saving Grace **

Holding hard onto the wings of an angel,

so afraid to let loose,

we have kept our hands over our eyes,

so afraid to take sides.

But now when the darkness has come,

maybe we will see through the storm,

through the lies and world of grey,

all these lies..

in the calm before the storm.

-Anonymous

* * *

"Hey! Listen, I need to talk to you."

"Hi honey! Hold on just a second, okay? I'm right in the middle of something."

Before Rory could respond, she heard Lorelai's cell phone being dropped down onto the counter.

Rory sighed impatiently, knowing that her mother would most likely get distracted and completely forget that Rory was on the phone. Unsurprisingly, Lorelai came back on the phone about five minutes later.

"You are so lucky that I have unlimited minutes, Mom, or I would be very angry at you right now." Rory said teasingly.

"What? Why?" Lorelai asked in confusion.

Rory was stunned into silence. "It was a joke. You left me on the line for so long… unlimited minutes… get it?" she questioned.

"Oh. Yeah." Lorelai said absentmindedly. "I've been a little out of it lately, haven't really had time to joke around. I'm getting rusty, I guess."

"Well, I bet that Luke appreciates not hearing all those jokes, huh? Poor Luke."

Rory thought that she heard Lorelai swallow, but that could have just been her imagination.

"Yeah. Poor Luke." Lorelai said.

"Anyway, Mom, I wanted to talk to you. Can I drop by the Inn, or are you busy?"

"Yeah, come on over. I'm busy, but I can move some things around to talk to my favorite daughter." Lorelai answered.

"Alright. I'm going home first, but I'll be there soon, okay? Talk to you later."

"Bye!" Lorelai said, then quickly hung up the phone.

Rory stared at the phone in surprise. _Huh. That was… weird. __Whatever. _

One hour later, Rory parked her car in the small driveway at the Inn. She grabbed her purse, and steeled herself for the conversation with Lorelai. She entered the Inn, waving at Michel who was talking on the phone at the Reception desk. She looked around, but still didn't see her mother anywhere. She poked her head in the kitchen, but Lorelai still wasn't there. She waved hello to Sookie, but left when she saw Sookie start to yell at one of the other chefs.

Rory walked through the lobby and paused at a plain wooden door that had a small plaque on it, reading 'Lorelai Gilmore, Owner and Manager'. She knocked twice, then entered when she heard no reply. She peeked in, and was shocked to see Lorelai slumped onto her large wooden desk, face pressing into a stack of papers, pens and pencils scattered everywhere. In one hand, her mother was clutching a calculator, in the other a pencil worn down at the tip.

"Mom?" she whispered.

Lorelai awoke with a start, gazing around blearily. "Oh, hey, Rory. Is it really time already? Wow, I must have been really out, huh?"

Rory smiled. "I guess so. I haven't seen you fall asleep at your desk since business school. You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Totally fine. Couldn't be better, actually. Things are wonderful." Lorelai said quickly with an overly bright smile.

Rory didn't notice, already preoccupied with Richard Gilmore.

"Can we talk about Grandpa?" Rory said abruptly.

Lorelai blinked. "Yeah, of course. What's up? Has anything changed?"

"No, no, nothing's changed. And that's the problem." Rory answered. "I went to the hospital today for a meeting with Doctor Connors."

"Without me?" Lorelai said, her pretty face creased into a frown.

"Well, yeah." Rory said, oblivious to Lorelai's annoyance. "I didn't think you'd care. I figured you were too busy."

Lorelai closed her eyes, while Rory waited for a response. "Continue, I'm listening." said Lorelai.

"So I was talking to Doctor Connors, and I think he misunderstood me. I wanted a list of care facilities that we could move Grandpa to after the surgery, but Doctor Connors assumed that I wanted them permanently."

Lorelai raised her eyebrows. "Isn't this something we should discuss before you discuss it with the doctor?"

Rory wasn't even listening to Lorelai's comment. "We were talking about the surgery, and he basically said it wasn't worth it, and Grandpa would probably get worse."

Lorelai sucked in a breath, then looked down at the desk, knuckles turning white from gripping the edge. "Oh."

"Yeah. So I told him that that basically wasn't an option, and that I wanted a second opinion. He said that that was fine, but that few doctors would agree to operate."

Lorelai was silent, and still looking down at the table. "Well, a second opinion couldn't hurt, but Rory- I trust Doctor Connors, and I trust his judgement."

"I do too! But I'm not willing to just give up on Grandpa like he was!" Rory exclaimed heatedly.

"Honey, I don't think he was giving up- he was probably just thinking of what's best for Grandpa." Lorelai said softly, her hands now supporting her head as if it was too heavy to hold up anymore.

Rory rolled her eyes. "Anyway, I basically told him that as soon as I found a doctor that would operate, we'd no longer need Doctor Connors. He seemed fine with it." Rory shrugged.

"Rory!" Lorelai exclaimed incredulously. "A second opinion is one thing, but firing Grandpa's doctor? That's not okay!"

"No, but see, it is!" Rory argued. "I'm going to suggest to Tristan that he asks his Professor to consult Grandpa. Professor Ortez is the best neurosurgeon on the East Coast, and we have an _in! _If I can just convince Tristan to talk to him, then everything will be fine." Rory said calmly.

Lorelai pressed her hands harder onto her head, as if trying to block out all of her thoughts. "Rory, have long have you been planning this?" she asked faintly.

Rory was quiet for a few seconds. "Well, I haven't been planning it. But when Tristan told me about his Professor, I just… thought it was a good option. And I know that I can get Tristan to ask for me." Rory explained.

"Rory!" Lorelai exploded. "That is manipulative and sneaky! Since when are you _like _this? When did this happen?" she cried.

"Nothing has happened, Mom. Nothing! Because you don't even care about Grandpa. God, you were probably happy to see Grandma die- no more Friday Night dinners, right? And you're so busy here, you hardly ever see Grandpa, and you're just fine with that, aren't you?"

Lorelai stood up, hands cradling her ribs as if protecting herself from a fatal blow. "Get out!" she screamed. "Get out, Rory! I am not going to listen to this!" Lorelai abruptly sat back down in her chair, hands still clasped tightly around her body. When she spoke again, her voice was quiet and deadly furious. "Tomorrow morning, I'm calling Grandpa's lawyer and terminating your status as next-of-kin." Lorelai whispered.

Rory looked aghast. "What? You can't _do _that!"

"Yes, Rory, I can." Lorelai said in a defeated manner. "And I will. You can't just go around making huge decisions like this without even consulting me. He's my father, for God's sake."

"And he's my grandfather." Rory whispered.

Lorelai just shook her head. "I'm sorry that this has to happen."

"No, you're not." Rory said calmly. "Because you don't care about Grandpa. You're just going to put him in one of those facilities because you don't want him messing up your perfect little life!"

"Perfect little- are you kidding me? That's enough, Rory. Leave." Lorelai said, hands moving to cover her face.

Rory stood up and walked out of the room without another word, quietly closing the door behind her. Lorelai put her head down on the desk and cried, for Rory, and for Richard, and for the perfect little life that she had messed up so badly.

* * *

Rory walked out to her car and slid behind the wheel, taking a few moments to calm down before she started to drive. As she got on the familiar highway that would take her to Hartford, Rory began formulating a plan as to what she would say to Tristan.

Consumed by her thoughts, Rory hardly even noticed when she arrived at Tristan's apartment. As always, there was the small group of loiterers by the building entrance. Rory waved on her way in, and then jogged up the first flight of steps. She slowed down on the next two flights, getting nervous for the first time. _If Mom was that upset about one little suggestion, what is Tristan going to say?_

She knocked on the door, which was quickly opened by Tristan. "Hey!" he smiled, happiness lighting up his face. He guided her inside while giving her a kiss on the cheek. "Did I know you were coming?" he questioned.

"No, no. This is a surprise visit." Rory grinned. "Do you mind?"

"No, of course not." Tristan answered. "You know that I love seeing you."

Rory blushed, and fidgeted with her purse.

"You okay?" Tristan asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Rory answered. "Actually, I need to talk to you about something."

"Sure. Come sit on the couch."

They walked over to the couch, Tristan sinking into it comfortably, while Rory perched on the edge.

"So, I went to the hospital today and met with Doctor Connors. I asked for a list of care facilities for Grandpa, because I thought that when he had the second surgery, he would stay there until he was recovered." Rory explained.

Tristan nodded in understanding while Rory continued. "Doctor Connors basically told me that the surgery was pointless, and that he wouldn't do it. So I told him that I wanted a second opinion, and he agreed that I should get one. I told him that I was going to ask another doctor to perform Grandpa's surgery, and that we no longer needed him as Grandpa's doctor."

"Okay…" Tristan said, not understanding where her story was going.

"And I know that this is a lot to ask, but I was thinking that your teacher- Professor Ortez- might be willing to do the surgery if you ask him. Or even if you just ask him for a consultation, so that he could get to know the case." Rory said in a rush.

Tristan leaned forward and buried his head in his hands. "When did you think of this?" he questioned, voice muffled by his hands.

"Well, do you remember that one day when I came over, and there was the accident on the highway? And you mentioned that Professor Ortez takes on difficult cases and does extra work? That just kind of sparked the idea, you know what I mean?" Rory explained.

"So, you've been thinking about this for weeks?" he asked in a tense voice.

'Well, yeah. I mean, you're a med student. I knew that you had connections and everything." Rory said quietly.

Tristan laughed and stood up. "God, Rory, this is low, especially for you. I never pictured you as the type to do something like this."

"Something like what?" Rory exclaimed. "Ask for help?"

"No, Rory! Use me! Manipulate me! Pretend that we're friends- hell, maybe _more _than friends, just so that you can get at one of my professors!" He yelled.

"Are you kidding me?" Rory shrieked. "I _do _like you, Tristan! I'm not using you!"

"Yeah, Rory, you freaking are!" Tristan yelled, walking over to the door. He opened it, banging it into the wall. "Please just go, okay?"

"Tristan…" Rory whispered, eyes filling with tears. "I didn't _mean _to."

"I know." Tristan said quietly. "I'll talk to Professor Ortez for you. No, actually, make that- I'll talk to Professor Ortez for _Richard_. Your grandfather is a good man, and I admire him. So yeah, I'll ask Ortez to look at the case. But not for you."

Rory bowed her head, surprised but still teeming with hurt. "Thank you." She looked up and saw Tristan still holding the door open.

She picked up her purse and walked through the living room, and paused by the doorway. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be." Tristan replied. "You got your way."

Rory pursed her lips and walked out of the apartment, down the hallway, down three flights of stairs, and out of the building. She didn't even notice when one of the grungy guys said "Are you alright, lady?"

Sitting in her car, Rory leaned her head on the steering wheel and began to cry.

* * *

**Hello everyone.. yes, two chapters in one day. I feel like this one isn't as good as the last chapter. I am terrible at writing fights, because that isn't my personality- I am very much a chill, laidback, easygoing person. Please let me know if the arguing scenes were too awkward or stilted, so that I can work on them for the future. **

**This chapter was the accumulation of small hints and foreshadowing- many of you guessed the Tristan/Ortez/Richard connection, and many of you were just waiting for Lorelai to break down. The connection has been completely revealed, but Lorelai's breakdown has only just begun. This argument with Rory is what is going to put her over the edge... but you'll see more of that soon. **

**So, to sum it up... in one chapter, Rory has effectively alienated the two people that she is closest to. Will Ortez agree? Will Lorelai even let him? Hmm.. there is still a lot to happen, we're just a little OVER halfway through the story (approximately 23 chapters). **

**Anyways, thanks (in advance) for reading and reviewing. Chapter 16 should be up (hopefully) within a week. Thanks again!**


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter Sixteen **

**Saving Grace **

_So tired of the straight line  
And everywhere you turn  
There's vultures and thieves at your back  
And the storm keeps on twisting  
You keep on building the lie  
That you make up for all that you lack  
It don't make no difference  
Escaping one last time  
It's easier to believe in this sweet madness  
Oh this glorious sadness, that brings me to my knees  
In the arms of an angel  
Fly away from here_

_-_Sarah McLachlan

* * *

"Mr. Jacoby, thank you for seeing me on such short notice." Lorelai said with a tight smile on her face, standing as the middle-aged attorney entered his office.

"Why, of course, Ms. Gilmore. Your father is my client. It is my obligation to discuss any legal matters that concern him." the attorney replied monotonously, as he eased into a chair behind the large antique desk.

Lorelai stared at him for a moment, taken aback by his lack of interest. She raised her eyebrows, but then shook it off. "Mr. Jacoby, I need to talk with you about my father's rights. My daughter and I are both listed as next of kin-"

The attorney cut her off. "Thus giving you equal rights regarding his health care."

"Exactly." Lorelai said without a trace of a smile. "The problem is, my daughter plans to make my father endure a risky surgery, which will probably just end up hurting him in the end."

The attorney nodded. "I see. And you disagree with this plan of action?"

"Obviously!" Lorelai said angrily. "Why would I-" She took a deep breath, then continued, looking at her hands rather than at Mr. Jacoby. "Yes, I disagree with it. It won't improve his situation at all, and will probably end up worsening the condition. In addition, I disapprove of the way that my daughter is setting everything up." Lorelai explained.

"And just how is she setting everything up?" Mr. Jacoby inquired, with a more curious tone. He placed his elbows onto the desk and leaned forward slightly, his interest encouraging Lorelai to continue.

"Well, she manipulated a good friend of hers into talking to a renowned neurosurgeon, Dr. Ortez. Her friend has a connection with him, and Rory used that to her advantage. She hasn't even met this doctor yet, how could she possibly just think that he knows what's best for _my_ father?" Lorelai said angrily, sucking in a deep breath.

Mr. Jacoby pursed his lips and leaned back. "You say that Dr. Ortez is renowned in his field." Lorelai nodded in assent. "Well, if he is still a practicing neurosurgeon, then I highly doubt that he would have the time or inclination to look at this particular case. Why, he must get thousands of requests weekly."

Lorelai was silent, contemplating his words. "That's true. I didn't think about it that way. I was just so… I just wanted to make sure that she couldn't do anything without my permission."

"Ah, yes." Mr. Jacoby said. "The legal matters. You and your daughter are both next of kin, and like I said earlier, that means that you have equal power. Neither one of you can make a decision without the approval and signature of the other. Meaning that she cannot schedule a surgery without your approval, and you cannot do anything without her approval. Do you understand that?" he questioned.

"Yes." Lorelai said. "So, for the time being, what do I do? If we're not seeing eye to eye on this, are we basically at a stalemate?"

"Unfortunately, yes." the attorney replied. "And that is something that you will have to work out amongst yourselves. I deal with legal matters, not matters of the heart."

Lorelai nodded. "I see." She stood up, smoothing her hands over her dress. "And thanks again. For seeing me on such short notice and for the advice."

The attorney nodded, and then glanced down at his papers. Lorelai left the room swiftly, and exited the office lobby without responding to the secretary's goodbye. She crossed the parking lot, slipping behind the wheel in her Jeep. She laid her head down on the wheel, remembering even in her hazed state of mind to avoid the horn. _How did this get this bad? How did everything just go so wrong?_ Lorelai sighed and then closed her eyes. _Just a little rest._

_

* * *

_Lorelai was awoken several hours later by a loud, consistent noise very close to her head. She reached out to press the sleep button on her alarm clock, but instead came in contact with glass. She cracked an eye, and was startled by the appearance of a face peering in at her from the window of her Jeep. Lorelai bolted upright, and rolled down the window. "Yes?" She said with a frown.

"Ah, Ms. Gilmore?" The lady replied, hand fidgeting nervously with her light brown hair. "You've been asleep here since you left the office this morning."

Lorelai closed her eyes and groaned. "Shit." The secretary's eyes widened, and Lorelai winced. "Sorry. That was rude. I just missed work." _Why didn't anyone call me? _Lorelai picked up the cellphone that had been in the cupholder, and saw that she had had thirteen missed calls and had nine voicemails. _Shit, shit, shit. I hate freaking silent mode!_

Her thoughts were interrupted by the secretary's voice. "Ms. Gilmore? Are you okay?"

"Yes, why wouldn't I be?" Lorelai questioned.

"To be honest, you look extremely ill." the secretary replied quietly.

Lorelai raised her eyebrows, then peered into the rearview mirror. "Oh." Her dark brown curls had been matted to her head by sweat, and were mussed. Her makeup had run down her face, from presumably a mixture of tears and sweat. She had red marks all along her face from the steering wheel, and her dress had slipped off of one shoulder. _Well, I can't go to work like this, now can I?_

"Is there anything I can get you? Or can I call someone for you?" the kindly secretary asked.

"No, no. That's okay. Sorry for taking up so much of your time." Lorelai said, hoping that her fake smile passed muster.

"Of course. And, Ms. Gilmore, please drive carefully." the secretary said, eyeing Lorelai's bloodshot eyes and sallow skin.

Lorelai nodded, then began to roll up the window. "Thanks again." She backed out of the spot carefully, and drove slowly out of the parking lot. She drove down the street, exited onto the highway, and began going back to Stars Hollow. _When did Stars Hollow stop feeling like home? _Lorelai thought. She couldn't remember.

She drove home blindly, exhaustion taking over her body once more. She turned onto Main Street with the intention of going to The Dragonfly, but was unable to keep her eyes open any longer. Her hands slipped off of the wheel, and her head slumped forward, eyes already firmly shut. The wheel spun wildly without the guidance of her hands, and careened onto the sidewalk, crashing into the brick building just across the street from Luke's Diner. The terrible sound of crunching metal was loud, and shattering glass rained down onto the sidewalk. Her engine was smoking, and flames were licking out from beneath the ruined hood.

The blood running down her face, the impact, and the screams from bystanders all registered in Lorelai's brain- but she didn't open her eyes. Whether it was because she was physically hurt, tired, or just didn't want to, she didn't know. She sat there in the crumpled and burning car, peace spreading throughout her body. She hadn't felt _so good_ in _such_ a long time.

* * *

**AN: **Sorry for taking such a long time to update. I won't waste your time (or mine) with endless apologies or stories, so let's leave it at that. :-) This chapter was the first one that focused on Lorelai's issues. Until this point, she really hasn't played a huge role in the story. This is just the beginning, folks. One thing I hope you picked up on- Lorelai can't stop thinking about work. When she sees how bad she looks in the mirror, she thinks, "I can't go to work like this." After waking up, she sees the missed calls and freaks out. Even though she was exhausted, she kept driving to the Dragonfly. Why is she working so much? That'll be explained a little bit more in the next chapter. (Coming up in about ten minutes).

**Thanks, as always, to: **

lovestoact, reader, Braelyn Rae, Jeremy Shane, Curley-Q, Love23, Angelscovegirl.

Chris: I think your point of view is very interesting, that you sympathized way more with Rory than with Lorelai. You said "I'd never speak to Lorelai again". And yes, I do know what I'm doing with these characters, but thanks for the concern. I've always intended to make this story as realistic as possible, and I'm not going to just drop that. Hopefully this chapter gave you a little more insight into Lorelai's actions, and her character in general. Thanks for the review- it was definitely food for thought!

Loridhhp: You were on the mark with Lorelai and Rory, but I'm not so sure about Tristan. He was pretty hurt, and being manipulated isn't an easy thing to get over. We shall see ;-) Lorelai will break down even further in the next chapter, like you said, because her 'concealed wounds have been torn open'. And alienated is the perfect word- more of that later. Thanks so much, I always love your reviews. We're always on the same wavelength. :-)


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter Seventeen **

**Saving Grace**

I drive myself crazy, tryin' to stay out of my own way  
The messes that I make  
But my secrets are so safe  
The only one who gets me  
Yeah, you get me  
It's amazing to me  
How every day  
Every day, every day, you save my life  
I come around all broken down and crowded out  
And you're comfort  
Sometimes the place I go is so deep and dark and desperate  
I don't know, I don't know  
Sometimes I swear, I don't know if  
I'm comin' or goin'  
But you always say something, without even knowing  
That I'm hangin' on to your words, with all of my might and it's alright,  
Yeah, I'm alright for one more night

-Rascal Flatts, Everyday

* * *

_Beep. Beep. Beep. _Inhale. Exhale. All the while, _beep, beep, beep._ Eyes flutter open, blind by bright light. _Beep, beep, beep._ Pressure on her hand. Slight, but strong. Warm. Head tilts, eyes focus, flutter shut and then open again.

Luke.

_Beep, beep, beep._

"Lorelai, you need to wake up. Now." His voice, loud and strong, but _oh so loving._

A groan. "I don't want to." she whispers, eyes resting closed.

"You have to." He replied, voice tense. "You're scaring me."

Luke? Scared? Eyes open.

_Beep, beep, beep. _

Lorelai looks directly at him, eyes still slightly unfocused, but she can tell- he's there. But he wasn't- for _so long_.

"Hi, Luke." she says.

"Hi, Luke?! Are you kidding me? That's the only thing you can say? After an accident like that, and not waking up, all you say is 'hi, Luke'? Jesus Christ, Lorelai!" Luke explodes, standing up and pacing from wall to wall.

Her head falls to the side, searching instinctively for the window that she knows will be there. _Bright. _

He moves in front of the window, a dark outline that blocks the sun. _But isn't he supposed to be the sun? _So tired.

He sits down again, denim jeans making a squeaking noise against the cheap plastic covering. "Lorelai, I was so scared. You crashed, and I ran out there, but you were so still. Just laying there. And we called an ambulance, and they said that you weren't hurt, just a scratch on your forehead- but you just kept saying that you wanted to sleep. The EMTs brought you here, and God, Lore, I was _so scared_." He says, voice trailing off into a whisper.

_I know._ But she doesn't say anything. He takes her hand, clasping it between his two much larger ones. Her hands are warm now, and she feels at peace. But she doesn't say anything.

"Lore, what's wrong? Why are you doing this?" He asks, pleading. He wants a smile, a 'Luke, I'm fine. Chill out. Where's my coffee? Hey, where's Rory?' He wants his Lorelai.

She's silent, and he's scared, and this is exactly how it ended before.

(Flashback)

"_Jesus Christ, Lorelai, I am trying to help! I am trying to be here for you! And all you're doing is pushing me away! Why won't you just let me help you?" _

"_With what?" she screams. "Are you going to help me get them back? Are you going to help me get a second chance? You can't help me, Luke! So just stop trying, okay? God, I just want to be alone! I can't deal with you here, all the time!" She screams back, face contorted in an expression of rage that he has never seen before._

"_No, Lorelai, I can't bring them back! I wish I could, but I can't. And neither can you! You need to start moving on! She's dead, and he's gone, but I'm still here! Rory is still here, Sookie is still here, everyone that cares about you is STILL HERE!" he yells, hands tightened into fists, knuckles white with anger and desperation. _

_She shakes her head, silent. She stares directly in his eyes, but hers are blank and unresponsive. His hands loosen up, and his shoulders slump. He stays standing where he is. "So this is the end, huh?" He asks bitterly. _

_She says nothing, just stares. _

"_Lorelai, if I leave…" but he doesn't finish the sentence, because he knows that if she asked him to, he would come back. "Bye, Lorelai."_

_She says nothing. When she hears his car start up in her driveway, she sits at the kitchen table and takes out her laptop. Soon, the table is covered with post-it notes, receipts, and magazines. _

_That night was the first that she didn't sleep. _

(Flashback ends)

This is exactly how it ended before. But he won't let it happen again. "Lorelai, please. I'm not going to do this again. I love you, so much it hurts. And I know you love me too. We're Luke and Lorelai, we're meant for each other. And I know that you are in a lot of pain right now, but I've been there, okay? And it sucks and it still hurts sometimes. And I still think about them every day. But you can't stop living just because they did. You're still alive, even if you don't feel like it for a while."

And she blinks, because he _has_ gone through this before. And maybe he _does_ know what he's talking about. Before, she had dismissed his words as _that's what everybody says. He can't understand this._ But maybe he did- does.

"Luke?" She says, voice quiet. "Did you bring me any coffee?"

He's the one staring, this time. He crosses over to the cheap plastic chair, and lifts a brown Luke's bag that had been under it. "And a burger." he says.

He hands it to her, but instead of reaching for the bag, she reaches for his neck, and tugs him down. The kiss is sweet, but timid and shy, unlike any other kiss they've had before. It's always been passion and energy, but this is just Luke and Lorelai. They break away, and he sits down, and she begins to eat. She smiles over the rim of her Styrofoam coffee cup, he lays his hand on her knee, and in the background- a faint _beep beep beep_. Inhale. Exhale.

* * *

**AN: **The song at the top, is, I think, perfectly explanatory of Luke and Lorelai's relationship at this point. It's hard, it's tough, and they're a mess- but they're still in love and they still save each other at the end of the day. This chapter, as I'm sure you noticed, is very very very abstract, and a huge divergence from my usual writing style. It's choppy and doesn't make much sense- but I this is how I picture Lorelai thinking. She's in a dark, lonely place right now, and it'll take effort to take her out of that. Part of the reason why Lorelai is so messed up is because she pushed Luke away, but got so caught up in everything that she never even realized how badly she needed him back. You'll notice she's still not 100% Lorelai, and she won't be for a long time, if ever. Hopefully, this played out okay- I was worried about the format, and wasn't sure if the characterization was normal. Please let me know about those things. Thanks so much (in advance) for reading and reviewing!


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter Eighteen **

**Saving Grace **

**  
**_Because you're not what I would have you be, _

_I blind myself to who, in truth you are. _

_-Madeline L'Engle _

_Often it is the most deserving people who cannot help loving those who destroy them._

_-Herman Hesse _

* * *

All around him was the sound of shuffling papers, sneakers slapping on tile, people talking on cellphones, and laughter. He waited for the noise to lower in volume, and then finally cease. Tristan looked around- he was the only person still in the classroom, except for his professor. He stood up, placed his laptop into his backpack, and then began to walk down towards the front of the large lecture room. _Is this what walking to your execution feels like?_ Tristan wondered idly as he walked down the stairs onto the main level of the lecture room. Professor Ortez, who had also just finished placing his belongings into his bag, stood up. "Yes?" he questioned, a tired note evident in his voice.

"Tristan DuGrey, sir." Tristan extended his hand, and Professor Ortez shook it quickly. Tristan noted subconsciously that the man had a firm and steady grip- his grandfather had always said that you could judge the character of man on his handshake.

"Mr. DuGrey, yes. Are you having a problem with the coursework? That surprises me, because if I recall correctly, your last exam had a nearly perfect score, and your papers are always commendable." Professor Ortez stated, reclaiming his seat behind the desk.

"Thank you very much, sir. I appreciate that. I actually had a different matter to discuss with you, a private one. If this is a bad time, I can visit you during your office hours." Tristan replied, making an effort as he did so to maintain eye contact and appear confident.

Professor Ortez raised his eyebrows. "My wife, Maria, is expecting me for dinner tonight. She'll be upset if I don't make it."

"Completely understandable, sir. I'll visit your office tomorrow. Thanks for your time." Tristan replied. His shoulders slumped forward- he had been hoping to discuss the matter and get it over with.

"Mr. DuGrey, I hope that I'm not making you uncomfortable by saying this, but is this a, uh, delicate matter? Perhaps a school psychologist would be more qualified to assist you?" Professor Ortez questioned, looking at his watch.

"Thanks for the concern. But, actually, it is _you_ that I need to talk with. You see-" he was cut off abruptly when the professor stood up.

"Mr. DuGrey, I sense that there is going to be a long story attached to this. Why don't we chat on the way to my car? I'm parked about a half a mile away. Perhaps that will give you sufficient time to explain." the professor offered.

Tristan smiled. "Of course, thank you, sir." He walked ahead of the professor, stopping to hold the door open. They walked in silence, Tristan gathering his thoughts and the professor waiting patiently for an explanation.

"Professor Ortez, a very good friend of my grandfather, was involved in a terrible car accident on Memorial Day weekend. My grandfather's friend, Richard Gilmore, suffered extensive brain damage, and his wife was killed."

Doctor Ortez inclined his head. "I'm sorry for your loss, Mr. DuGrey."

"Thank you, sir." Tristan nodded. "I had the opportunity recently to see Mr. Gilmore's remaining family, and I'll be honest, they aren't coping well. Mr. Gilmore's granddaughter, a girl my age, asked if I would speak to you about his case. They're hoping for any additional guidance or medical advice that you might have, sir." He finished, relieved that the words hadn't sounded rehearsed- they were. Tristan had been thinking of the way to approach this conversation since Rory had asked him.

Doctor Ortez was silent, forehead furrowed in thought. "What was the name again?" he questioned.

"Richard Gilmore, sir."

"Was he in the insurance business?" The doctor asked.

"Yes sir, he was. He worked for a prominent Hartford firm for many years, but established his own firm just before retirement." Tristan responded, unsure of the point of this line of questioning.

"Well, I'll be!" the doctor explained. "Richard Gilmore was my insurance agent when I first started practicing. Malpractice insurance is a bitch, you know." He added, glancing pointedly at Tristan. Tristan chuckled dutifully, and the professor continued. "He was very good to me, made it affordable but with topnotch coverage. I respected the man. What a crying shame." he muttered.

"Yes sir, it is." Tristan agreed. "He's at Bradley International, currently under the care of Doctor Connors."

"Doctor Connors?" Doctor Ortez said in disbelief. "That hack? He barely passed his MCATS."

"Really?" Tristan said, astonished. _Maybe Rory was right._

"Well, I'll admit, he has certainly improved over the years. Maybe he just took a while getting his act together." the professor admitted grudgingly. "Out of all the neurologists there, I suppose he'd be my pick."

Tristan nodded, still anxious.

"I don't normally do this, you know- private clients, I mean. I work at the school, and at the hospital as a visiting neurosurgeon- sort of a guest surgeon, I suppose you'd call it. They bring me in only for the difficult cases, the ones that are very tricky, or have anomalies." the doctor clarified. "I rarely work on run of the mill cases, because, and I'm not being arrogant, my time is too valuable for that."

"Professor Ortez, you told us once that it is necessary for all doctors, especially surgeons, to have some sort of a God complex. I'm pretty sure arrogance comes along with that." Tristan said with a half smile.

"And it looks like you're developing that just fine." The professor replied, a slight rebuke in his tone. "Not many students would dare approach me with something like this."

"I know. Which is why I was very conflicted when asked to do so, but I figured that I owe it to Richard. He's a good man." Tristan explained.

They stopped walking, and Tristan noted with surprise that they had reached the professor's car. It was parked all the way across campus from the building that they had been in, and in the very back corner of the parking lot. Tristan had completely forgotten that they were walking, he had been so involved in the conversation.

Doctor Ortez inserted the key into the lock of his Mercedes. "Tell you what. Like you said, Richard is a good man. I have a surgery at the hospital on Friday. I'll look at his case file then. It would be helpful if you would arrange for a family member to meet me in the main lobby."

Tristan sighed, relieved that his part in this entire mess was over. "Thank you so much, sir. I really appreciate this, and I know that Rory- that uh, the Gilmores will greatly appreciate it also."

The doctor nodded. "Don't thank me yet. I'm not God, Mr. DuGrey, I'm only a neurosurgeon that happens to be better than most others."

Tristan smiled. "Thank you, sir. Have a good night, and please, send my apologies to your wife for keeping you late."

Doctor Ortez got into his car and drove off, tapping the horn twice in goodbye.

Suddenly, Tristan's legs were shaky and his head was spinning. He walked over to another car and leaned against the hood. He braced his head in his hands, waiting for the head rush to pass. When it did, he pulled out his cell phone, the light glowing in the darkened parking lot.

_To: Rory _

_901-815-7035_

_Just got out of class w/Ortez. Richard was his insurance agent from when Ortez first started practicing, so he agreed to meet w/you. He has a surgery Friday- he will meet you in the lobby hospital Fri night._

No goodbye, no niceties. Tristan was past that. _Why is it that the people you care about the most are the ones capable of hurting you the most? _

Tristan walked back over to his own car, lost in thoughts. He drove to a small all-night café, where he could sit and drink coffee and study, where he could avoid thinking about pizza and Shakespeare and bright blue eyes. Where he could go and not think about Rory.

_Beep._ And a slight vibration against his leg. He pulled out his cellphone, already knowing who it would be. Sure enough,

_1 New Text Message _

_From: Rory_

_(please open phone to view message)_

He pressed delete.

* * *

**AN: **This chapter was back to my usual writing style, so hopefully you enjoyed that. This chapter was pretty basic and self-explanatory. I hope you noticed something, though: when Tristan was talking to Ortez, he was very much the charmer and society-boy that we've seen in the past. It was all 'yes, sir' and 'my apologies'. Yes, this is polite, but for Tristan, it was a defense mechanism. He slipped a little bit back into his old persona to get through this task- he didn't want to do it, but he did, and he employed his 'society boy' charms to get through it. We also met Professor Ortez for the first time. Keep in mind that's he's not intended to be a villian or a hero, as he stated himself- he's not God. He's just a busy doctor/teacher, and at the end of the day, he doesn't care about the Gilmore saga.

**Thank you so much to: **angelscovegirl, Loridhhp (thanks for catching Lore and the Jeep windows- and thanks for the feedback!), Jeremy Shane, LoVe23, LaurenGrahamfan, lovestoact, Curley-Q, and Sleeping to Dream About You (by the way, your review put the biggest smile on my face. Thanks so much!) **Your reviews are always appreciated, so thanks (in advance) for reading and reviewing. **

**Beth  
**


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter Nineteen **

**Saving Grace **

She shifts on the uncomfortable plastic chair and looks down at her lip, only to be dismayed by the wrinkles that have creased into her linen skirt. _Shit._ She rolls her eyes and looks around the lobby, thinking about how well she knows the hospital. _How sad is that? _She sees Ronny, the guard who is standing at the main entrance, and Alison at the reception desk, who just had a baby girl last month. The custodian who is mopping by the restrooms, Willie, draws amazing cartoons and caricatures. Alison looks up from the reception desk and sees Rory, waves, and smiles.

Rory smiled back. A fake smile, but Alison wouldn't know that. _Mom would._ She pushes the thought away, unwilling to think about Lorelai, especially at this time.

Rory is startled when a man exits the elevator and walks into the library, because she knows instinctively that this is Doctor Ortez. He is wearing frameless glasses and an expensive suit under an open white doctor's coat.

He waits by the elevators, with the posture of a man who knows that his presence is intimidating. Rory knows that she must approach him first if she wants to retain any credibility, so she stands up, attempting to smooth the wrinkles from her skirt one last time. She walks over, heels clicking on the marble floor, echoing through the lobby. He glances at her, and extends his hand when she is within reach.

"Ms. Gilmore, I presume. I'm Doctor Ortez." He says, confident and detached.

"Yes, my name is Rory Gilmore. Thank you so much for agreeing to meet with me. I can't tell you how much I appreciate it." Rory replied, proud that her voice had wavered only slightly on the last words.

"As I am only a visiting surgeon here, regrettably, I don't have an office that we can talk in. Why don't we head up to the patient's room?" Doctor Ortez asked.

Rory blinked. "Richard Gilmore. Not the patient. Richard Gilmore."

Doctor Ortez looked momentarily surprised. "Of course. Why don't we head up to Mr. Gilmore's room? I can obtain his case file there and do a physical examination, as well as speak to his current doctor."

Without waiting for a reply, he pressed the up button on the elevator. "Floor?"

"Four." Rory said quietly. The elevator arrived in just under a minute, but it felt like hours to Rory.

The ride up was silent. The only sounds were the clicking of the buttons on Doctor Ortez's cellphone as he checked his email, and Rory's shallow breathing.

They stepped out of the elevator, and Rory headed to the nurse's station. She managed a tight smile for the head nurse, and requested Richard's files. The nurse complied, and as Rory reached a hand out to accept the file, Doctor Ortez reached from behind her and took it.

"Room 405?" he tossed the question over his shoulder.

"Uh, y-yes." Rory stuttered, suddenly overcome with nerves.

Doctor Ortez turned into Richard's room and sat down in the chair next to his bed. He opened up the inch-thick file that contained all of the MRI scans, charts, notes, and activity logs. Without even looking at Richard, he began glancing through the file.

"You didn't even look at him." Rory said quietly.

"What?" Doctor Ortez said, twisting in his chair to look at her in confusion. She walked around to face him.

"You didn't look at him when you came in. You just sat down and started reading." Rory explained, voice rising slightly with each word.

Doctor Ortez was silent for a moment. "Ms. Gilmore, I apologize if my manners appear brusque, but please keep in mind that I am doing this as a favor to Mr. Gilmore and to Mr. DuGrey. I have many other things that I could be doing right now, such as taking my little girl to her dance class. I am merely being efficient with my time, and yours as well." He said severely, steel in his voice.

Instantly, Rory understood what made this man a good surgeon and teacher. His rebuke had been delicate and tactful, but firm and unyielding. She nodded, and sat down in the chair on the other side of the bed.

_Mom's chair._

Rory shuddered and looked out the window at the Hartford skyline. Her thoughts were interrupted when Doctor Ortez questioned "Ms. Gilmore, you and your mother are listed as next of kin, placing you equally in charge of Mr. Gilmore's health care. Should she not be here for this meeting?"

Rory shook her head. "She had a previous commitment at work," she lied, eyes shifting downwards.

"Fine, but you do know that you cannot legally make any decisions with her consent, right?" Doctor Ortez said.

Rory nodded, mutely. _She doesn't even care._

He went back to perusing the file, spending at least fifteen minutes examining the MRIs. He stood up, and Rory did also. "Is there any chance I might consult with Doctor Connors? I am interested in his opinion."

Rory nodded, and led the way out of the room, and down the hall to Doctor Connors' office. She knocked, and entered when bid to do so. "Doctor Connors, this is Doctor Ortez. I have asked him to consult on my grandfather's case."

Doctors Connors stood up and shook hands with Doctor Ortez. "It's been a while, hasn't it? Please, sit down." He gestured to the two chairs in front of the desk.

"Doctor Connors, I've been looking at Richard's case file. Before forming any preliminary judgments, naturally, I want to hear the opinion of his attending physician."

"Of course." Doctor Connors leaned back into his seat. "Mr. Gilmore received substantial and severe brain trauma in a car accident. We were hopeful that with time, the trauma would subside, allowing us to perform a surgery that would hopefully alleviate the rest. As I was explaining to Ms. Gilmore last time I saw her, the trauma had not subsided nearly enough for the surgery to be completely safe or successful. It could be done, of course, but the risks far outweigh the benefits."

Doctor Ortez nodded, then flipped to another page in the file. "These images are from directly after the accident, after the emergency surgery, and just a few weeks ago, correct?"

"Correct." Doctor Connors confirmed.

"And there have been no changes since the last series of images?" Doctor Ortez clarified.

"None that are at all significant."

"Hmm." Doctor Ortez murmured. "And no anomalies worth mentioning?"

"No."

"And your medical opinion?"

"It is my professional medical opinion, as stated to Ms. Gilmore, that Mr. Gilmore not undergo surgery, and I will not consent to performing any more surgery of any kind to Mr. Gilmore. From that point on, it is Ms. Gilmore's responsibility to decide what needs to be done."

"I see." Doctor Ortez nodded, then closed the case file with a snap. "Doctor Connors, would you be so kind to lend me your office to me for a few minutes for a quick consult with Ms. Gilmore?"

Doctor Connors studied the pair, then nodded. "Of course." He exited the room gracefully, and Rory listened to his footsteps going farther down the hall.

Doctor Ortez shifted his chair to face Rory. "Ms. Gilmore, I am sorry to disappoint you, but I share Doctor Connors' opinion. I can quite clearly see from his file that there has been no brain activity these past few months, and no progress at all. Performing this surgery would be risky, and even if Richard lived through it, there is a only a small chance that he would recover brain function."

_Inhale. Exhale. _

"What kind of chances?" Rory whispered, fingernails digging deep into her palms.

"I'm sorry?" Doctor Ortez questioned, leaning towards Rory.

"What. Are. His. Chances." she bit out, in a valiant attempt to keep her voice steady.

"He would have a thirty percent chance of making it through the surgery, and only a five percent chance of recovering brain function." Doctor Ortez said gently. "Like Doctor Connors said, though the trauma lessened slightly, it was not nearly enough to make a significant difference."

"So-" Rory started off desperately, but then stopped. "So there's no point?"

"I'm sorry, but yes. I'm afraid that there is simply nothing else that modern medicine can do for him." Doctor Ortez answered quietly.

_Or maybe it just sounded quiet because of the roaring in her ears._

"Okay." Rory said brokenly. "Okay."

Doctor Ortez stood up to leave, but Rory moved quicker. She extended her hand, perfect fake smile already in place. "Doctor Ortez, thank you for your time and effort. I appreciate it very much."

"You're welcome, Ms. Gilmore. I wish the odds had been in Mr. Gilmore's favor." the doctor said kindly.

Rory nodded and smiled again, then exited the room, door closing behind her. She walked blindly down the hallway, meeting Doctor Connors as he was exiting another room. "Doctor Connors, I'll call you soon to make arrangements." Rory whispered. "Thank you for your time."

Without waiting for a response, she entered into the waiting elevator, then pressed the down button. Once in the parking garage, she walked in a daze to her Prius, her eyes unfocused. She sank into the driver's seat, arms hugging the steering wheel, head resting on her arms. She didn't cry. She grabbed her cellphone, and scrolled through her contact list.

She skipped over many names until she found the one she was looking for.

_Grandma and Grandpa (Home)_

A stab of pain. Then down some more.

_Tristan DuGrey _

She kept scrolling.

_World's Most Fabulous Mom_

Rory's finger lightly rested on the _Send_ button, but she couldn't bring herself to press down. After a moment, she exited her contact list and tossed her phone back into the bag. She turned on the car, left the parking garage, and settled on a deafening heavy metal station- to block out the world.

She didn't want to think right now.

* * *

**AN: **I hope you enjoyed the last chapter, and that you continued on to read this one. :-) This chapter is a little more involved than the one before it- this is what Rory has been building up to. This story has almost two seperate stories running concurrently- there's Lorelai, building up to her breakdown and pushing everyone away in the process, and Rory, who kept building up to this one meeting, also pushing people away in the process. Rory and Lorelai, though they seem to be on completely different sides of the issue, are very similar in how they're dealing with things. They both alienated themselves, hurting others and themselves in the process. They both had a 'changing moment', i.e, Lorelai in the Jeep, Rory in the Prius. We'll see if Rory starts letting people in, like Lorelai did... :-)

**Thanks (in advance) for reading and reviewing. All feedback is welcomed, whether positive or negative. **


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter Twenty **

**Saving Grace **

"_Sincere forgiveness isn't colored with expectations that the other person apologize or change. Don't worry whether or not they finally understand you. Love them and release them. Life feeds back truth to people in its own way and time."_

_- Sara Paddison_

_

* * *

_

Rory sat in the heavy wooden chair, flannel pajama bottoms creating friction against the heavy brocade seat cushion. She scooted forward, and glanced upwards as the maid placed her fruit salad and omelet in front of her. "Thank you," Rory murmured, and the maid exited the room silently.

Rory dug into her food half-heartedly, wishing that she had asked the maid to bring her some cereal and coffee instead. _God, don't I sound like a bitch, _she thought. She glanced the end of the table, irrationally terrified that Emily had heard her thoughts. A dull ache spread through her chest when she saw the empty chairs. The empty chair directly across the table caused even more pain.

Rory had stayed at the Gilmore house sporadically while she was organizing Emily's belongings, or when she visited Richard late at night in the hospital. After the vicious argument with her mother, Rory had taken up permanent residence in her bedroom at the Gilmore house. After the meeting with Doctor Ortez the day before, Rory had cloistered herself inside the house. She was wallowing without realizing it; she ran her fingertips over the antique furniture, memorized the portraits on the walls, and smelled Emily's collection of perfumes and lotions.

To put it simply, she was saying goodbye to Emily.

Rory left the table, her breakfast only half finished. "Thank you for breakfast," she called into the kitchen. The maid smiled and scurried into the dining room to remove the plates. Rory walked slowly up the stairs, entered into her bedroom and opened her closet. She dressed in a pair of dark jeans, black ballet flats, and a simple black wrap sweater. Without bothering to apply makeup, Rory grabbed a coat and her purse. She walked down the stairs much more quickly this time, and left the house without giving the maid a chance to open the door for her.

Rory got into her car and sped out of the driveway, then out of the neighborhood, way over the speed limit. _No doubt the neighbors have already called the Homeowner's Association,_ she thought wryly.

Rory drove in silence until she pulled onto Tristan's street. "What the _hell_ am I _doing_?" Rory exclaimed. She smacked the side of the steering wheel, and then corrected it as the car swerved sideways. "I wouldn't blame him if he never spoke to me again! Ugh!"

Rory took a deep breath. Before she had a chance to panic any more, she had arrived at Tristan's apartment building. She parked directly in front, taking up two spots without even noticing. She got out of the car and stepped onto the cracked sidewalk. She walked to the building entrance, but paused with her hand on the handle. "Do I look okay?" She asked the ever-present group at the entrance.

They looked at her dubiously, and finally one spoke up. "You look fine, lady."

"Thanks." Rory said, acting as if this was an everyday occurence. She squared her shoulders and marched into the building, footsteps falling firmly on each step of the three flights. Without pausing, she walked straight to Apartment 3B. A firm, almost too-loud knock, and then- not Tristan.

"Oh. Jason, hi, I wasn't expecting you. Is Tristan here?" Rory questioned with a bright smile on her face.

A stony glare, and no response. "I'm Rory?" Rory offered, subconsciously offering it as a question.

"I remember you. But I don't think he wants to see you." Jason said.

"Well, why don't you let him make that decision when he sees me?" Rory said patiently.

Jason rolled his eyes. "You aren't getting it. He's already made the decision, okay? He told me not to let you in."

Rory bit her lip. "Oh. Okay. Um, okay, I guess that's to be expected, huh?" She said with a half-sob, half-laugh.

"Yeah, it is." Jason said angrily. "You were a total bitch to him, and you know it."

"Yes, I do know it! That's why I'm here!" Rory exclaimed, a sudden anger consuming her.

"Sorry." Jason shrugged, this time with a pitying look. Before Rory had the chance to respond, the door shut firmly in her face, and Rory heard the audible click as the lock and deadbolt were both locked.

She stood there in shock, then took a step backwards, leaning gratefully against the dirty wall behind her. She stood there for a moment, collecting her thoughts and courage. She took another step backwards, and knocked again.

No answer.

She knocked again, louder, and faster. The door was yanked open, and this time, it was Tristan that opened the door. His face was still, eyes weary. "What?" He asked. "I'm kind of busy. I need to study."

"Okay, that's fine." Rory said amicably. "This won't take long."

Tristan glanced behind him, then stepped out into the hallway, pulling the door shut behind him. "Rory, can't you just leave it?"

"No, I can't. I'm sorry, you know I am-" Rory started.

"Actually, I don't know! God, Rory, you just don't _get it_!" Tristan exclaimed, hands running through his hair agitatedly.

"What don't I get, Tristan? I get that I hurt you and you're angry! What else is there?" Rory yelled.

Tristan's hand dropped to his sides, and he too took a step back, until he was leaning against the opposite wall. He said nothing, just stared at her.

Rory stared back, waiting for a response to her question. Tristan took a sudden step forward, and before Rory could do anything, his hands were gently framing her face, and his mouth was pressed lightly over hers, just once before he pulled away.

It was barely a kiss, and for a moment Rory wondered if she had just imagined it. But he was still there, forehead leaning against hers, hands still framing her face. "What don't you get?" he questioned, voice low and intense. "You don't get that you manipulated me, and if there is anything I can't _deal with_, it's being manipulated. You don't get that I'm crazy in love with you, and I've been waiting all this time until you were ready. "

"I am so sorry." Rory whispered. "I didn't realize I was manipulating you." At this, Tristan scoffed and pulled away, falling back onto the wall with a thud.

"That's crap, Rory, and you know it. You knew what you were doing." he muttered.

Rory stared at the ground. "Yeah. You're right. I did. I guess, I just didn't realize that it would hurt you."

"Well, you did. And I'm not the type to hold onto this kind of thing forever, you know that. Because God knows if I was, I wouldn't be out here talking to you."

Rory's head lifted, and she peered into his eyes. "Really?"

Tristan nodded in assent. "Rory, I'm not mad at you. I just don't want to be strung along."

She nodded. "Okay."

He smiled, and she smiled back. Rory turned and took a step towards the stairwell, but before she reached it, she turned back around. "Tristan? Thanks for waiting."

Another smile curves his lips. "You're welcome. But Rory, I can't wait too much longer, you know." He ended his smile with a wink.

"Yeah, I know." Rory grinned. She turned towards the stairwell and left, knowing that even if her relationship with Tristan wasn't perfect, good, or even normal, she could still make things right- with time.

* * *

She remembered a conversation that she had with Lorelai many years ago. Logically, she shouldn't remember a conversation from her sophomore year of high school, but Lorelai's words still echoed in Rory's mind.

_My point is that it's scary to be in love, that much I know, but it's also wonderful and special and if you can't say it, or fully express it, then you're never gonna be able to experience it, and I want you to experience everything that's great, because you're so great. Are you hearing me? _

Rory whispered to the empty car, "I hear you, Mom."

_I'm not saying you say "I love you" at the drop of a hat. It has to be right and real and it has to take a lot of thought. But someday with someone it will be right. I want you to be ready for that moment when it happens. _

Rory wasn't ready. Not yet. But she would be.

* * *

**AN: **Well folks, we're getting close. I have the rest of the story written, I'm just deciding now whether to do an epilogue or not. If I decide not to do an epilogue, there will be 2 more chapters. This chapter was a little bit of a fakeout because it wasn't really a true reconciliation. Yes, Tristan's forgiven her, Rory's seen the error of her ways and apologized, but thinks still aren't right between them. Remember, they aren't going to suddenly have wild sex against the wall. Up until this point, they've only been friends- granted, they have chemistry, but Rory has been so wrapped up in her own life that she barely noticed. Tristan made the first move, but left everything in the open. Rory's interested, but she's isn't going to do anything about it until she's moving on with her life.

I was always particularly struck by the conversation Lorelai had with Rory so long ago about love- and I think it's really interesting that in that context, Lorelai was warning Rory not to make the same mistakes that she has regarding love. Rory started to this time around with Tristan, and even though her mom isn't speaking to her, Lorelai's words are still there guiding her along. Also, they're making the same mistake in pushing each other away with the Richard situation. (And I think I take the award for longest authors' notes ever! Man! Sorry!)

**Thanks to: **Jeremy Shane, angelscovegirl, Curley-Q, lovestoact, sailorcyanide, LoVe23, Sleeping to Dream about You, and Loridhhp. LaurenGrahamFan (I can promise Rory isn't going to get in an accident, and yes, Rory will find out about the accident- just not from Lorelai!)

**You guys are so great! I hope you enjoyed this update, and thanks in advance for reading and reviewing! The next chapter will probably be up tomorrow.  
**


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter Twenty One **

**Saving Grace **

I believe there's a place where the restless souls wander, burdened by the weight of their own sadness. They wait for a chance to set the wrong things right. Only then can they be reunited with the ones they love. Sometimes, a crow shows them the way; because sometimes, love is stronger than death.  
-City of Angels

* * *

The phone rang. _Once, twice, three times. _Finally, it was picked up.

"Luke's." Luke's voice, already tinged with impatience, filled Rory's ears. His voice made her feel warm and safe, like she was _home_ again. "Hello? Is anyone there?" He asked, obviously irritated.

Rory opened her mouth to speak, but her vocal cords were paralyzed. Her mouth closed and opened, but no words spilled out.

"God damned kids, like I don't have anything better to do?" Luke muttered, just before he hung up.

Rory bit her lip, ended the call, and then called again.

"Luke's." A warmer and perkier voice answered.

"Lane!" Rory said happily. "How are you?"

"I'm really good, not that you would know. You haven't exactly been in contact lately." Lane answered.

"Sorry, Lane. It's been kind of crazy lately." A beat of silence, and then, " Anyway, how are Zack? And the babies?" Rory questioned, hoping that her friend would change the subject.

"They're fantastic, actually! They just got haircuts- yes, the babies and Zack, and they look totally adorable. I'll text you a picture later." Lane said, voice bubbling over with contentment. "Anyway, I'm guessing that you didn't call to chat with me, so why don't I get Luke for you?"

"Thanks, Lane. You're the best." Rory said sincerely.

"Yeah, yeah, I know." Lane laughed. "Hold on a sec."

_Thunk. _And then, "Luke! Phone!"

Luke picked up the phone after a few seconds. "This is Luke."

"Hey, it's Rory!" She said cheerily. "How are you?"

Luke hesitated for a moment. "Rory. I'm good, thanks. Listen, I'm not sure if you heard yet about your mom."

All of a sudden, Rory's breath was caught in her throat, and the familiar panic was rising in her chest. "What's wrong with Mom?" Rory breathed.

"It's nothing too bad, so don't freak, okay?" Luke cautioned. "Hold on, I'm going to take this upstairs." Rory waited for a moment, fingers gripping the side of her cell phone. Luke came back on the line and began to explain. "She had an accident outside of the diner a few days ago, and they brought her to the hospital because she was unresponsive to the EMTs. She wasn't physically harmed, other than a scratch on her head."

"Oh, thank God." Rory breathed. "God, how did… never mind, continue."

"Her doctor brought in a psychiatrist to talk to her, and the psychiatrist, Doctor Navida, did an evaluation on your mom. He believes that your mom had the accident as a result of stress induced fatigue. She fell asleep at the wheel, Rory." Luke revealed.

Rory was silent, and Luke took that as a sign to continue. "The doctor also believes that she has PTSD- post traumatic stress disorder. They think that because your mom didn't have a chance to say goodbye to Emily, she was deeply traumatized by that. And of course, your dad's situation didn't help either."

"I had no idea." Rory said.

"We didn't either. But you know what, Rory?" An angry tone suddenly appearing in his voice. "You know what? Your attitude towards your mom didn't help either. Mine sure didn't, hell, I probably caused some of this mess. But you are _the most_ important person in Lorelai's life, and you shoved her aside, totally ignored her opinion about what should happen to Richard," Luke finished, with a rushed inhale.

"But Luke," Rory protested, before Luke cut her off. "But what, Rory?"

"I didn't realize I was doing that," she whispered, shame overcoming her.

"You can say that you didn't realize what you were doing, but the point is that you did it. And you can't take it back, and neither can I. What matters now is fixing it. Your mom and I are working on it, and I think you should, too." Luke said, his voice softer as he finished his statement.

"I know. I know, I know!" Rory exclaimed. "I know I _should_, but I don't know _how._ And I doubt that she's in a position right now to make decisions about Grandpa, and they really need to be made."

"Actually, I think that making a decision would be good for her. Good for her, and good for you. And for your grandfather." Luke replied.

Rory was quiet for a minute. "I guess I never thought about it that way. You really think it would help her?" she questioned, voice childlike and timid.

"Yeah, I do. And I think you should talk to her soon."

"Okay. I can do that. Do you know if she's home tonight?" Rory asked.

"I was going to go over and make dinner, maybe watch a movie. But this is more important. So just go over around seven." Luke said.

"Thanks, Luke. Really. I mean… for everything. I love you, you know." Rory said quietly.

"Yeah, I know." Luke said softly. "I love you too, kid. I'll talk to you soon, okay?"

"Bye, Luke."

The click of the telephone was his goodbye, and it was so typical _Luke_ that she wouldn't have it any other way.

­­­­­­­­­­­­

* * *

Rory raised her hand to knock, then lowered it. _Since when do I knock? _She thought, taken aback by her unconscious action. _Since it stopped being my home, _a voice within her answered.

Rory raised her hand again, and knocked. "Luke, what are you doing? Just come in!" She heard from inside. Rory opened the door and stepped in, hanging her bag on the hook by the door that was reserved for her use alone. "Mom?" She questioned tentatively.

Rory heard her mother's familiar footsteps coming closer, and noticed that they were less energetic than usual, almost like it took more effort just to move forward.

"Rory. What are you doing here? Last time I saw you, things didn't go well. Here to yell at me again?" Lorelai asked, with a defeated air. There was no bitterness in her voice, only resignation.

"Mom," Rory whispered. "I've really missed you." And suddenly, the tears that Rory didn't know were there, spilled over onto her cheeks.

She expected her mom to make the first move, envelop her in her arms, and say that she missed her too.

Lorelai didn't do any of that. Instead, she just stood there, hands wrapped around her body. Seeing this, Rory stepped forwards and wrapped her arms around her mother. The pair stood there silently for a minute, and neither Gilmore moved a hair. Finally, Rory detached for a minute. "Can we sit? Maybe have some coffee?" Rory questioned.

"Yeah, sure." Lorelai said. "I'm actually not sure if I have any," she said with a strained smile.

"That would be a first. Let's go check," said Rory. Lorelai took her cue, and moved into the kitchen. She rooted around in the cabinets, and finally found an old bag of coffee. "Here," said Lorelai. "Why don't you make it?"

Rory accepted the bag, but noticed that her mother took care to avoid touching Rory's hand as she passed her the bag. She began to brew the coffee, glad to have something to occupy her hands.

"Sorry. I haven't been eating much lately. I've been pretty much living off of coffee, and I didn't have a chance to replace the last good bag today." Lorelai said quietly, filling the tense air with meaningless words.

"What? A Gilmore, not eating?" Rory joked, hoping that it would lighten the air. Indeed, it did- Lorelai let a small smile form on her face. Rory glanced at her mom, and noticed that Lorelai had lost weight. A lot of weight- at least fifteen pounds. _How did I not notice that?_

"Mom, you've lost weight." Rory said quietly.

"Yeah. Well. I was a little preoccupied." Lorelai said sharply, mistaking Rory's concern for criticism.

"Mom, I was just surprised that I didn't notice. I'm not making fun of you." Rory said defensively.

"I didn't really notice either. I mean, yeah, my clothes were looser, but I never really thought about it." Lorelai admitted.

Rory nodded as the coffeemaker beeped. She poured two large mugs full, and brought them to the table, handing one to Lorelai. "So, I talked to Luke today." Rory said. When Lorelai failed to respond, Rory said "He told me about your accident. And the PTSD."

More silence.

"I hope you're not offended, but I did some research on it. Just some googling, you know." Rory said, instantly more comfortable talking about facts and research, rather than emotions.

"Doctor Navida wants me to start going to group therapy next week. It's every week, an hour each meeting. Kind of like AA, I guess. I think I even get a sponsor." Lorelai said sardonically.

"Are you going to go?" Rory asked.

"Yeah. I mean, I don't want to. But I know I'm not functioning right, and I owe it to Luke-" she cut herself off with a deep breath. "And to you, I guess, to get better."

"That sounds good, Mom. And thank you." They were both quiet, Lorelai staring into her coffee, while Rory took a long drink, enjoying the hot burn in her throat. Rory finished, and then said, "I owe you an explanation. And an apology."

Lorelai nodded.

"All this time, I thought I've been dealing with it. Coping, you know. I really did. I mean, I had Tristan, and I was going out with him, and it all seemed normal. Just, you know, different, obviously, with Grandpa's situation. It wasn't normal, but I guess I was fooling myself into believing that if I acted okay, then everything _was_ okay." Rory finished, unable to look at her Mom.

"Yeah, I know a little bit about that." Lorelai admitted. "You take after me, kid, remember?"

"And you know I've always loved that." Rory smiled. "But Mom, I know I was awful. And I know that you're in a ton of pain, and a really tough place right now. And I'm not going to lie, I am too. I'm not okay. You're not okay."

"No, Rory, I'm not okay. And I'm probably not going to be okay for a while. I need you to know that." Lorelai said pleadingly.

Rory nodded.

"I mean, it's not that I don't want things to get better," Lorelai explained. "I do, I really do. And they are getting better, already. But, I'm a different person now. I probably won't ever be that old Lorelai again. This whole thing is a part of me, and right now, I need to focus on me. I know that sounds bad, but- I need to figure out how to reconcile the old Lorelai with this new one." Lorelai said softly. "Sorry. That's how my psychiatrist explained it, and it makes sense. To me, at least."

"Mom, it makes total sense. I understand completely. It probably wouldn't hurt for me to talk to someone, huh? And to think we always made so much fun of people that go to shrinks," Rory said teasingly.

"Yeah, well," Lorelai smirked. "Shit happens."

"Sure does." Rory agreed. "I think I'm going to head out, if that's okay. We should probably meet up again in a few days. We need to discuss things. We need to make a decision. It's not fair to Grandpa, and it's not fair to either of us, to stay suspended like this."

"Yeah, I agree." Lorelai said.

Rory stood up. "I'm going to go," she said, squeezing her mom's hand. "I'll talk to you soon."

"Okay." Lorelai agreed. _The old Lorelai would have begged me to stay, bribed me with movies and treats and clean laundry,_ Rory thought as she left the house. _Things are never going to be the same, are they?_ She thought exhaustedly. _But at least they're getting better._

_

* * *

_

**AN: **Well, this is the chapter that many of you were waiting for! Rory finally found out about Lorelai's accident (notice that nobody called Rory to tell her- another sign that Rory has withdrawn from her friends/family). Rory talked with Luke, who acknowledges his part in Lorelai's problems, but isn't allowing Rory to get off scot-free, either. I'd also just like to point out a few things: when Rory is going up to the front door, she knocks, and then thinks- why did I knock? And she realizes that it's because that house isn't really her home anymore. This is the start of her noticing how things have changed- the old coffee, the weight loss, Lorelai not comforting Rory, Lorelai not offering Rory a place to stay. This is significant because Rory now sees, as everybody else does, that things are different, and aren't going to be the same. (Oh, and they're going to make a decision- very, very soon- about Richard).

**Thanks to:** Jeremy Shane, Sleeping to Dream About You, Loridhhp, LaurenGrahamFan, Curley-Q, Angelscovegirl, and LoVe23.


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter Twenty Two **

**Saving Grace **

"Death is not the greatest loss in life. The greatest loss is what dies inside us while we live."

-Norman Cousins

* * *

"Ms. Gilmore?" A gentle voice said. "Are you looking for someone?"

Rory looked up. "Doctor Connors." She said quietly. "I need to talk to him."

"I'm not sure that's possible," the nurse said offhandedly. "He's with a patient right now, and he has another scheduled directly after. He has some free time in about half an hour, I believe."

"Okay." Rory said. "That's fine. My mom will be here then anyway."

The nurse nodded. "I'll go let him know, then."

Rory walked away from the window in her grandfather's room, to the familiarfake wooden chair with the ugly plastic covering. She sat down and leaned forward onto her grandfather's bed, his large hand clasped between hers. "Grandpa." Rory whispered miserably, voice muffled by the sheets. She sat there for a while, recalling everything of her grandfather that she could. The memories were fading a little bit already.

Suddenly, an abrupt but quiet knock on the door. "Rory?" A voice behind her rumbled. Rory sat up and twisted in her chair, but didn't let go of her grandfather's hand. "Hi, Luke." Rory said. "It's really good to see you."

"Yeah, you too." He crossed the room, pausing to squeeze Rory's shoulder. "I bought a paper for you down in the gift shop. _Wall Street Journal._"

"Thanks, that was really sweet," Rory said. "I forgot to get one today, so that's perfect."

Luke smiled in response, leaning against the wall. "Your mom is buying a sandwich and some coffee from that vending machine down the hall. I tried to get her to eat before we left, but she wasn't hungry. Still isn't, but I'm making her eat."

The mere mention of food made Rory nauseous. _How could anyone eat at a time like this? _Rory wondered idly. _How could anyone do anything at a time like this? _

As if he had sensed her thoughts, Luke spoke up again. "Rory, I don't know what to say in this situation. I have no idea. But I want you to know that I'm here for you too, not just your mom."

"Yeah, I know." Rory said. "Thanks." She smiled, then looked back at her grandfather, pale and weak, nothing like the strong man she admired and loved.

Another knock at the door, one that Rory recognized. She twisted around again. "Hey, Mom." Rory said tentatively. "How are you?"

It was clear from Lorelai's incredulous face that she couldn't believe Rory was asking something like that. Still, though, she acknowledged the effort Rory made. "I'm fine, Rory. A little sick from that crappy sandwich Luke made eat, actually." She directed this last statement at Luke with a teasing glint in her eye, one that neither Rory or Luke had seen in a while. Lorelai dragged an extra chair from the hallway into the room, and positioned it on the other side of Richard's bed. She took his other hand, then dropped it, smoothing out the wrinkles on the bedspread and lifting some hair off of Richard's face.

After everything was in its rightful place, Lorelai allowed herself to grasp Richard's hand again. "When is Doctor Connors coming in?" She questioned.

"Soon," Rory said. "I talked to the nurse a little bit before you guys got here, so he'll probably be here in ten minutes."

"Okay." Lorelai murmured.

The trio sat in silence for a while.

_One. _

_Two. _

_Three. _

_Four. _

_Five. _

_Six. _

_Seven._

_Eight._

_Nine. _

Then, Doctor Connors entered.

_One minute more. I'm not ready._ Rory thought, suddenly panicked gaze catching Lorelai's. Lorelai took a deep breath, and Rory was inexplicably comforted by the steady rise and fall of her mother's chest.

"Doctor Connors, my name is Luke Danes." Luke said, taking the lead.

"Mr. Danes, of course." Doctor Connors said with an easy smile. Doctor Connors turned to Rory and Lorelai. "Now, what can I help you ladies with? I'm sure you've looked at his chart already," he said, directing the statement at Rory. She nodded. "Is there anything you'd like to discuss?"

"I'm ready." Rory said quietly.

"_We're _ready," Lorelai clarified. "To-" she faltered, unable to continue.

Rory took over. "Ready to take him off life support."

"It's just not fair, to us, or to him, especially," Lorelai explained, feeling an uncontrollable urge to explain herself. "It's the right thing to do, I know it is. I don't want to. But I have to, he deserves so much more than this."

Doctor Connors inclined his head without a trace of a smile. "And you're in agreement with this?" he asked Rory.

"Yes." She confirmed, without a trace of a tremor in her voice. "It's not- he's not-" she started, then stopping. "We're ready. And we'd like to do it now." She said, somewhat brusquely.

Doctor Connors nodded. "I thought that this might be the case. The nurse said that you didn't look well when you came in," he directed to Rory. "I have the forms right here. If you'd like some time to go over them, or need me to explain them to you, I can accommodate that."

"No, thank you." Lorelai said. "We'd just like to sign now." _Before I change my mind._

He pulled the appropriate set of papers from his clipboard, and handed them to Lorelai. "Because you are both next of kin, you'll both need to sign. Just sign on the same line, please."

Lorelai scrawled her name in several places, marveling at the end about how steady her signature was. _I didn't think I'd be able to do it._

She passed the papers to Rory, watching as Rory dutifully signed her name beside her mother's signatures. She paused for a moment at the last page, as Lorelai had. She didn't marvel at the steadiness of her hand, or the finality of what she had just done. She looked at the last signature, and couldn't help but stop breathing for a minute.

_x Lorelai Gilmore __Lorelai Gilmore_

The same name. All of this time, she had thought they were so different. Her talk with her mom had revealed some pretty important things, and made Rory realize some hard truths about herself. But seeing her signature next to her mom's, so different in style but the same in essence was powerful. She might have been awful to her mom, Luke, and Tristan, but she was still a Gilmore. She was still a Lorelai.

She looked up from the papers. "I love you, Mom," she said, voice thick and cracking with tears. She handed the papers to Doctor Connors, who politely looked away. In her peripheral vision, Rory could see Luke rubbing the back of his neck, a sure sign that he was experiencing some powerful emotion also.

"I love you too, Rory. So much." Lorelai whispered brokenly. Lorelai reached her free hand across to Rory, and their fingers interlocked. They each held one of Richard's hands.

Doctor Connors interrupted their moment with a kind voice. "Would you like me to explain the procedure?" He questioned. "I think it's important to mention that after a patient is removed from life support, they might live for several hours, or even days, while the body fully shuts down."

"Just do it, please." Rory said. "He's ready."

Doctor Connors nodded and then crossed the room, where he glanced at Rory and Lorelai one more time. "I'll give you another chance to change your mind. You understand that this is irreversible."

"They get it." Luke said firmly. "The longer you stand there, the more it's going to hurt."

Lorelai nodded. Doctor Connors inclined his head, then pressed a button that turned all of the machines in the room off.

_Silence._ Rory and Lorelai hardly breathed, and Rory noticed vaguely that the room was deadly quiet without the _beep beep beep. _

Suddenly Lorelai sucked in a breath, whimpered, and squeezed Rory's hand as if she was trying to keep herself in the room. Luke swiftly crossed the room and knelt by her side, wrapping his flannel-covered arm tightly around her waist.

They waited, not even noticing that Doctor Connors had left the room, softly closing the door behind him. They were unaware of the outside world, aware only of each other and of Richard.

Rory surreptitiously rested her fingers against the pulse point on her grandfather's wrist. She wanted to make sure that she knew when he passed. _Not that he's been here this entire time. _

Nobody moved.

It was three hours later when Rory felt the weak fluttering against her wrist fade and then stop. She was quiet for a moment, watching Richard's face carefully for any sign of his passing. There was none. She had hoped that a sudden peaceful look would wash over his face, or that maybe he would look like he had just fallen asleep.

He didn't. He looked dead.

"Mom?" Rory whispered. "He's gone."

"Yeah. I know." Lorelai said. "I felt it." Rory glanced down at her mother's hands, noticing that her fingers were nowhere near Richard's pulse point. There was no way that she could have felt it physically. But Rory didn't care. It was nice to believe that maybe her grandfather had passed in some spiritual release, and was finally unburdened.

They waited. Rory didn't know for what, but she could tell that Lorelai wasn't really thinking anymore.

Finally Luke stood up. "I'll go tell Doctor Connors," he said, his voice too loud in the quiet room. He left the room after kissing Lorelai on the forehead and laying a comforting hand on Rory's shoulders.

"It's just us now, huh, kid?" Lorelai whispered, still not looking at Rory.

"No." Rory disagreed. "We're not alone," she murmured, thinking of the teasing smile on Tristan's face and Luke's comforting presence.

"No. I guess not." Lorelai agreed, a tiny smile coming over her face, glancing in the direction that Luke had taken, then looking back at Rory. "This might be really inappropriate, but do you want to go get some coffee? I'd really like to be with you for a while."

"I'd like that, Mom." Rory said, tears spilling out of eyes. She laid Richard's hand down on the bed, and hurried over to her mom. Lorelai opened up her arms as Rory approached, and Rory sat sideways on her lap, head buried into her neck. Rory cried into her mother's neck, overcome by the familiarity of the perfume that Lorelai wore, everything that was just _so Lorelai_. Lorelai finally allowed herself to cry, but silently, hoping that Rory wouldn't notice.

_Mom, Dad. _Lorelai thought brokenly. _We're really going to need your help for a while._

As she thought this, it seemed as if a tidal wave of emotion overcame her. Lorelai's arms tightened painfully around Rory, and sobs wracked her body. Rory clutched at her mother in response, fingernails digging into Lorelai's arm. But Lorelai didn't care, she didn't feel it.

Even if you had asked Lorelai, she wouldn't have been able to explain it. All she knew was that at that moment, when she acknowledged that she needed help, she felt like an enormous burden had been lifted. She realized that Emily never really hated her, and that there would have been no need to make amends. Sure, they'd had a screwed up relationship, but it was better than no relationship at all. Yes, she'd pushed Luke away, but he came back, and she wasn't going to lose him again. She had Rory had been cruel to each other, but Rory was here, and needed Lorelai just as much as Lorelai needed Rory.

This revelation- or, more accurately, jolt back into the present, was life-changing. Lorelai was aware of that, and she knew that it would help her get on with her life. If she dealt with her grief, then she could be there for Rory and for Luke. And for herself.

She knew that it would probably take a great deal of effort to get moving in the right direction. But at least she was moving.

Lorelai's arms tightened again, without noticing that during her revelation, her tears had ceased.

She heard a whisper. "Hey Mom?"

"Yeah?" Lorelai asked softly.

"Thanks."

"Don't worry about it, kid. We're going to get through this, you and me, you know that? We're a team. Bread and butter. Coffee and cream. Bonnie and Clyde. Musketeers. " Lorelai teased gently, but with seriousness behind her words.

"Gilmores," Rory added in response. "We're Gilmores."

"Yes, we are." Lorelai said with a content smile. "And what do Gilmores do, especially the two of us?"

"Drink coffee?" Rory guessed, sitting up and wiping her face on her sleeve, leaving behind a smear.

"Well, that was attractive," Lorelai noted. "And yes, yes we do. We drink coffee. You up for it?"

"Sure." Rory agreed quietly. "This still feels weird."

"Yeah, I know." Lorelai agreed. "We're probably not going to feel really normal for a while. But there's only one thing that can be said in this situation." Lorelai said with a slight smile.

"And what's that?" Rory responded. "Please don't recite some cheesy poem or quote."

"Quote, yes, but not cheesy. You ready for this?" Lorelai asked.

Rory rolled her eyes, Lorelai squeezed her arms around Rory's waist tighter.

"Copper boom." Lorelai said deadpan.

Rory sat there for just a moment, blinking in disbelief. "Copper boom? Copper boom? After all of that, you say copper boom?"

"Well, yeah." Lorelai agreed.

"Mom, you are such a loser." Rory giggled, leaning her forehead against Lorelai's.

"Don't go there, kiddo. You've got my genes. And your dad's too, I guess."

"Yeah, I do, don't I?" Rory asked. "And Grandpa and Grandma's."

Lorelai nodded. "They're some pretty good ones, when you think about it. They were pretty great people, huh?"

Rory nodded in agreement. She detached herself from Lorelai and sat on the edge of Richard's hospital bed. She leaned over and pressed a gentle kiss against his forehead, without a word. She stayed there for a moment, then stood up and left the room with a tiny smile at Lorelai.

Lorelai scooted her chair even closer to the hospital bed. "I bet you're pretty glad to see us not fighting anymore, huh?" she whispered. "I know I'm glad." She was silent. "I would bet all of my life savings that right now, wherever she is- because let's face it, Mom was no angel- she's pretty glad too."

Lorelai eased onto the bed, almost afraid to touch Richard. After a tense moment in which she debated whether to run out the door or not, Lorelai pressed another kiss to Richard's face, in the same place that Rory had. "I love you, Dad. And mom too."

After breathing in and then out, Lorelai stood up. She walked towards the door, pausing for a moment in the doorway. She looked back in, knowing that she was leaving a part of her heart behind.

"Mom?" Rory questioned from behind her. "I talked to Doctor Connors. We can leave whenever we want. Luke's waiting in the car."

Lorelai smiled. She might be leaving a part of her heart behind, but she still had a pretty big piece left.

She walked out of the room without another glance.

* * *

**AN: **And there it is! The big chapter, what the entire story has been building up to. Pretty intense, huh? They were some pretty complex things going on here. We got a look into both Rory and Lorelai individually, and then the two of them as a whole, so to speak. Lorelai has realized that while she's hurting, it's within her power to resolve that. She knows it won't be easy, but she knows she has to do it, and she wants to. Rory realizes that she has to get through this, because she has some some pretty great people that she owes it to. The two of them know that things won't be normal for a while, but hopefully you saw that they're working back towards it.

**There is an epilogue coming up soon. Feel free to stop reading at this chapter, or continue onto the next, depending on your preference. **

**Thanks to: **angelscovegirl, lovestoact, rj29, LoVe23, Curley-Q, Jeremy Shane, Ally, and Loridhhp. **You're the best, thank you very much! And thanks (in advance) for reading and reviewing this chapter. **


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter Twenty Three **

**Saving Grace**

"Love is stronger than death, because even though love can't stop death from happening, no matter how hard death tries it can't separate people from love. It can't take away our memories either. In the end, life is stronger than death." -Unknown

* * *

Rory smoothed her hands over her dress.

"That's becoming a habit, you know," an amused voice broke in. "You're just wrinkling it worse." Lane said. "You're going to be fine, you know."

"You think so?" Rory whispered in return as she gazed in the mirror. She saw not herself, but rather; Christopher's hair, twisted into a simple bun. Lorelai's eyes, brightened by strong emotion. Emily's pearls in her ears and on her throat, making her pale skin luminous. Richard's strong jaw, exuding a confidence that she did not feel.

"I love you, Rory." Lane said, coming up behind her best friend and hugging her around the waist. "I can't imagine going through what you've gone through. You're pretty tough, you know that, right?"

"Who, me?" Rory smiled tremulously, a lump rising in her throat. She continued looking into the mirror, but rested her hands lightly on the arms around her waist. "I love you too," she sniffed.

"Okay, enough with the tears." Lane suddenly blustered. "I'll give you a minute to collect yourself, okay? The service is going to start in a few minutes."

"Thanks." Rory said.

Lane walked away, and as she did so, held the door open for Lorelai. Rory smiled her first real smile all day. A small smile, but a small nonetheless. "Mom, you look amazing!" Lorelai's hair fell in natural curls over her shoulders, and the light from the stained glass windows fell onto her dark purple dress and black silk wrap.

"Thanks, honey. But you just look… oh, Rory. I'm so glad I'm wearing waterproof mascara." Lorelai said, walking up next to her daughter and slipping an arm around Rory's waist.

"Sorry I'm taking so long." Rory said. "I just needed a few minutes."

"Me too." Lorelai said. "I just needed a few minutes to hide from all those people," Lorelai grumbled good-naturedly. A content look came over her face as she stared at herself and her daughter. "I am so proud of you. I love you so much. You're the best friend a girl could have."

"Yeah, I do. You're my best friend too, Mom." Rory said, hugging her mother tightly. They stayed like that for a moment, lost in memories of happy times.

Lorelai pulled away gently as the sounds of Josh Groban's 'You Raise Me Up' started playing. Rory idly noticed the enchanting sound, beautiful even through the heavy wooden door that Lorelai and Rory were sequestered behind.

"Well, it sounds like they're ready for us." Lorelai said cheerily.

"Us?" Rory said with a bright smile. "And here I was, thinking that everyone was here just for me."

"Oh please, darling. You have so much to learn." Lorelai said, a smile on her face. They opened the door and walked into a hallway, heels clicking against the stone floor.

Lorelai looked over at Rory. "We can leave, you know."

"Leave? Why would we leave?" Rory exclaimed.

"I don't know. Just in case. Maybe you've inherited a lot more of my traits than I thought you did- maybe you're the runaway type, too." Lorelai admitted. "I want you to be happy."

"I am, Mom. And I'm getting a little happier every day." Rory confirmed.

"Me too," Lorelai said. "Ready?"

Rory smiled at her mom, and then signaled to the men standing beside the heavy door. They opened the doors, and the music swelled- it seemed to seep into her very being. She saw all of the guests stand up in unison, but even as she saw their smiles and heard the murmurs of 'Oh my, don't they look beautiful!', she was frozen.

_Inhale, exhale. _

Tristan smiled at her from down the aisle, just a hint of nervousness in his eyes. The nervousness was overwhelmed, however, by the love that she saw clearly in his eyes. This was Tristan. The man she was in love with, the man who had been there for her, accepted her broken self, and then pieced her back together. Rory still wasn't whole, not like she had been. There were still parts of her heart missing. But Tristan loved her, broken and all.

Luke stepped out slightly from the crowd, and stood in front of Tristan, off to the side slightly, ready to accept her from Lorelai at the end of the aisle and hand her to Tristan. She sensed, rather than saw, Lorelai smiling as Luke coughed into his hand, trying to hide his tears.

_Inhale, exhale. _

Rory accepted her bouquet from the usher standing by the doors. She smoothed her crisp white gown once more, lifted her bouquet, and then stepped forward.

Towards her saving grace.

* * *

**AN: **And.... we're done. This chapter was the epilogue- I imagine it taking place about one year since Chapter 22. I hope you noticed that Christopher was not walking Rory down the aisle, nor was Luke. I imagine that Rory wouldn't have wanted anyone except Lorelai to do it. This entire ordeal has brought them closer, and has given them a deeper understanding of themselves and of each other. I also think one line in there, 'Tristan loved her, broken and all', is important. Tristan understands that Rory is different, and he doesn't expect her to be the same old Rory that she was at Chilton. Rory loves him in return because of this. (And if you were wondering at the beginning whether this was Richard's funeral or a wedding, that was exactly my intention.)

I honestly can't really think of anything else to say. I will just leave you with: I am very proud of this story, and I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

**I'm not sure if readers realize how important reviews are to an author: they are motivational, constructive, and honest. I've appreciated each and every one. Also, thank you to those who put me on Author/Story Alerts without reviewing. Thank you to: **Sleeping to Dream About You, angelscovegirl, rj29, Jeremy Shane, Crazy House, LoVe23, Loridhhp, Curley-Q, Kriti, LaurenGrahamFan.


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